The Knicker Entrepreneur
by JustThatKindOfSpecial
Summary: AU When I thought about what was going to happen that day, I wasn't thinking like it happened. Dealing with a love triangle wasn't on my list of to-do's, but finding I have to share a flat with an attractive pervert? Well, if they insist... Rated M for lemons (love triangle Sasuke/Sakura/Kakashi)
1. Prologue

Prologue

"_How do I feel? Ironically, all I do is feel tired, and waking up this damn early isn't helping," the dark haired girl said to the unseen interviewer, a rueful grin on her face._

"_And what are your views on the London Underground bombings? Do you think the government should be doing more to combat the terrorist attacks?" _

_The girl frowned as she looked at the interviewer in almost disbelief. _

"_They were horrific I guess and glad that not too many people were killed unlike most disasters," the girl began, her eyebrows were creased in concentration for what she wanted to say. "And I think I speak for everyone when they say every coma is bad regardless of how you were put in it, if that makes sense? Like I'm angry, don't get me wrong, but I think I would be still this mad if it was me falling down the stairs that put me in the coma._

_As for what the government should do? I haven't the foggiest. I just happened to be in the wrong place wrong time…" _

_The girl's eyes drifted off, thinking, hoping she was somewhere else. _

_Martin had given up any pretence of eating his cereal, his spoon lying abandoned, buried in a bowl of milk and muesli. It _was_ her. _

_Jenny. _

"_And how do you feel about the amount of time that has passed? Anything you regret?" the interviewer continued regardless of the grey circles beneath the poor girl's eyes. _

"_Well, I missed all the excitement of the Scottish referendum I guess," the girl gave a small chuckle, before turning serious her almost brown eyes seeming tired, droopy, sad. "But I suppose, I miss my mum defeating the cancer, my brother getting his degree but maybe I suppose miss the change from summer to winter. You never realise it until you haven't seen it." The girl trailed off her eyes wistful and if Martin narrowed his eye enough, he could have sworn her mouth tightened in sorrow. _

_She was brought back by a definite throat clearing. _

"_And what I regret…" she hesitated, her mouth opening like she wanted to say something but her brow evened out as she resolutely manoeuvred herself into a more comfy position on the mound of pillows behind her. "What I regret is that I was a burden on my family, that I could have possibly meant the failure of my brother, my mother, but I suppose I regret never getting my maths degree. Three years and nothing to show for it," this is when the girl's mouth turned down. Bitter. _

"_Thank you," the camera turned back to the middle aged woman but Martin wanted desperately for it to turn back to Jenny, another glimpse, another sign that it could be _her_. "That was Jennifer Webbs, a survivor of the London Bombings, here at St. John's. Back to you in the studio," _

_Then they turned to the meaningful turnip competition in a nearby county which Martin quickly tuned out of. _

_What did this mean? _


	2. Always Happens to Me

Always Happens to Me

It always does happen to me, and it just so happened to choose to occur when I was running late to my final maths exam. I mean, really what were the chances?

Admittedly before, it was a lot of blurred lines and uneasy memories although the doctors say that it was to be expected considering my condition at that point in time.

As far I was concerned that morning had been disaster after disaster.

I found I hadn't set my alarm, then there was the issue of forgetting my train card AND my student card so meant I couldn't actually get into the exam hall without the at least ten minute wait for all the others who had lost or forgotten their student cards from a drunken night or something.

So there was I was racing, stumbling into barriers, pain in crusty stained trackies's knees from many fall over in the crowded London streets. However, after a flash of light other than an enormous amount of pain there was...I suppose a raging purple vortex?

Too cheesy? Too cliché? Well, whatever, that was what happened and it happened to be the catalyst for the months that came next.

* * *

_THUMP._

I groaned, the impact of landing on the hard ground, my spine screamed.

"Nghhh," I moaned, lifting a heavy hand from the dirt below my fingernails to bring them to cup my forehead.

I froze when I heard voices.

"…was that?" a loud voice asked, distinctly male.

"Well considering we are walking towards it, dobe, it means we don't know either," another male, annoyance was obvious in his deep condescending voice.

"Yeah Naruto!" a high pitched voice chipped in and I assume she was siding with the guy who was against this Naruto.

"For ninja you are awfully loud when you are sneaking to investigate something," a bored man's voice rumbled.

"Ah Kakashi-sensei, no bad nin here in Konoha, and anyway as the next Hokage-" Naruto's voice was cut off by an equally loud thump followed by a cry of pain and a sigh from someone else.

"AHHHH! SAKURA NOT SO HARD!"

I couldn't decide whether I should run away but when I tried to lever myself up to hide with my hands, my arms crumbled beneath me and I flopped back onto the ground. I groaned again, both the throbbing in my brain and the agony racing itself all over my body in competition to see which would hurt more.

I quietened trying to listen for the voices again.

I heard a snort. "Dobe."

A snarl, "don't call me a dobe, teme!"

"Naruto, I think we have more things to be concerned with like that girl lying in the middle of the training ground," the mild voice came out.

I flinched my fight to get my arms underneath me renewed, but basically had the same results:

Since my arms were as weak as jelly, I tried to prop myself up by the elbows, but the nausea was too great and I flopped onto my side gagging.

"Are you okay?!" Naruto yelled, and I heard the padding of feet on the ground signifying the sound of him running closer to me.

There was another muffled thump and a cry of "Sakura!"

"She's injured, moron, she could have a head injury and your yelling isn't making it any better." Sakura snarled.

I tried to focus on the argument but frankly, I barely managed to prop myself on my elbow but then vomited so hard it brought tears to my eyes.

Whimpering as I felt my shaking arms about to give way.

God, wouldn't that just be perfect that as soon as I had my saviours/enemies, I was going to be covered in the stomach acid and bile? Absolutely perfect.

However, just as my arms were about to give way, leaving me to lie in my sick, a hard arm encircled my waist to drag me gently away. At the contact, it was like everything was in sharper focus, the sharp smell of my sick in addition to the smell of pine trees and next to me, violets. But the most noticeable was the scent of spearmint and tea tree. The dirt under my hands seemed to become more defined as it scrabbled against my skin. It was like I finally fit in my skin.

I frowned in confusion but shook it off.

"Thanks," I sighed as they lay me back down, the loss of contact was like I had lost everything from its high definition, it had become muted.

Not once did I think it would be a good idea to open my eyes and look at my attackers-slash-saviours.

It was only when I felt light hands on my stomach did I think to open my eyes, I strained to sit upwards again but my stomach rolled. I quickly pitched myself to the side as I retched. I closed my eyes again, sensing this was one of the reasons why I was throwing up.

"I couldn't feel anything, my chakra couldn't penetrate hers," I heard Sakura murmur to someone, "Maybe we should take her to the hospital?"

"Hn," someone thought to helpfully put in.

"Sorry," I mumbled, trying to put my hand out for them to shake, "I'll clean that," I gestured wildly to where my sick lay, "up later. I'm Jenny by the way."

Silence greeted my statement and I lowered my arm as no one reached to shake my hand, I didn't want to open my eyes in case it brought on another bout of nausea.

"Is she drunk?" Naruto whispered to someone.

I wanted to answer but found my stomach contracting again, a pain that had me flinching. _Please don't throw up, please don't throw up-_

I haltingly opened my eyes to see the sun blaring in my face. I hissed, flinching back into the dirt, feeling the scrape of dirt into the bare skin of my back. Wait… _bare skin of my back?_

I ran my hands all over my body and while there was a sense of _some_ clothing, I wasn't stupid not to feel the cuts and slashes in the clothes. _Especially_ in the more wanting for modesty parts of my body.

Gasping, I rolled my body away coiling my body into a ball, pressing my chest into the ground while cupping my breasts with my hands, hiding myself from sight.

I heard a groan and Sakura raged, "Seriously?! Nose bleeds?!" There was one thump with a classic cry of pain from Naruto and then a muffled thud like Sakura tried to hit someone else but… got her wrist caught?

"Careful Sakura," the nonplussed voice warned.

There was a shocked silence and I was so tempted to roll back over to see what was happening but when it came to my moral decency and my curiosity… well, to put in frankly, I was going to cover up as soon as possible.

"You looked at her, Kakashi!" Sakura hissed, a little bit of hurt coming between her words.

"That tends to happen when investigating to see if she has any injuries or if she is a rogue nin," Kakashi reasoned. "Maybe we should discuss this after we get this woman to a hospital?"

I coughed feeling my stomach trying to force more bile up and it was only through sheer force of will that I stopped and managed to croak out:

"Um, the hospital sounds good but, uh, could I borrow something to cover up? Maybe?"

There was a brief moment of silence before-

"OH NO WAY!" cried Naruto.

"Sorry Naruto," Kakashi said, "it has to be done."

"Well why can't the teme do it?" he protested and if I had opened my eyes I would have probably seen the pout that was obvious in his voice.

"Sasuke can't do it because of the riots that would be inspired," Kakashi commented mildy, "considering we have just recovered from a war, the Hokage would not appreciate the extra damage."

"We can fix it though right?" Naruto tried a little desperately.

Selfish as it was, I was hoping that they would conclude soon as I could feel the contractions getting worse and I had never felt such an illness since the one and only time I had alcohol poisoning.

"What about Sakura?"

I never got to hear the argument as there was a large THUD as a fist was pushed into a face.

"Right, totally what I was thinking too," Naruto's pained gasp came out.

By this point I actually thought the way my body was flopping from the need my body felt for throwing up my organs that they wouldn't be bothering with the argument right then.

I heard a rustle of clothing and then a tentative tap on my shoulder, "uh here you go." Naruto coughed nervously as he dropped what must be a t-shirt on my shoulder since I wouldn't take my hands from my chest even though my breasts would be hidden by the ground.

"Well, turn around!" Sakura ordered and inside I was grateful. There was a pause. "Even you Uchiha!"

"Hn."

There was a satisfied noise from Sakura and I felt an arm prop me up.

"Do you need my help putting on the shirt?" she asked kindly. Slowly I opened my eyes and saw bubblegum pink hair.

"Your hair's pink!" I exclaimed dumbly, wanting to reach out and touch it.

Green eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Do you want my help or not?" she snapped.

I recoiled, instantly cowering into her arm and gave a little shake of my head as she thrust a garish orange shirt into my hands.

I pulled the hole over my head and felt instantly dizzy even though I did practically nothing. I whimpered again, trying to support myself without the pinkette's help.

Sakura offered her arm again, but I tried to ignore it as I pushed myself to my knees, but a lock of blue hair fell in front of my face and in annoyance I pushed it back behind my ear. I paused as I rethought that thought. _BLUE HAIR?_

I scrabbled to pull that lock back and sure enough it was as blue as a kingfisher's feather and it was attached to my head.

I gaped at it while I heard an impatient huff beside me. "Is there anything wrong?"

I swallowed and tore my eyes away from my hair for a moment to look into irritated green eyes, "yeah, my hair is blue." I said turning my attention back to my hair where a bigger clump had fallen into my eyes and together it was the shade of a peacock's plume.

"Holy shit," I breathed.

"I think she definitely has come back from a wild night out," Naruto whispered loudly to Sasuke who just gave a classic:

"Hn."

I felt another figure drop beside me and I flinched into Sakura against my better judgement.

"Do you want to walk?" the mild voice asked beside me. I peered up through my lashes and in an instant I couldn't look away.

Grey hair wildly mussed like an incurable case of sex hair, he had this weird kind of eye patch that reminded me of a roguish pirate had they not been discussing being ninja. But what drew me in was the black mask covering his lower face and his dark grey eye was crinkled in what I could assume a smile.

I tentatively quirked the corners of my mouth and dumbly nodded as he reached out to grasp my hand to help me up, he was roughly shoved out of the way by Sakura who glared at him before offering her own hand.

Not wanting to be rude so I clasped my hands on hers and pulled my shaky knees under me against my better judgement.

Just as I was about to pitch forward again, a familiar hard forearm caught me about the waist. At the point of contact it was like a rushing wave crashing inside my body, the now familiar sharpening of the world around me. As I fell into the arm my other hand that wasn't trapped against a bulky green vest, automatically grabbed a muscled bicep for support.

I allowed my head to flop onto the bumpy chest too as I became woozy and it was like the rush of the five senses became stronger. I could see the exact colour of green and the threads woven on his vest, I could smell a masculine scent with a mixture of spearmint and tea tree flooding up my nostrils. The roiling of my stomach, the block headed feeling in my scalp, the pins and needles in my feet.

I sighed in bliss, while the owner's other arm encased my waist to stop me from falling backwards.

"Maybe I should just carry you?" Kakashi offered, and I felt myself nodding into the rough fabric where faintly I felt his voice rumbling through my entire being.

The arm around my waist tightened and supported me as another captured my knees together securely.

"I'll meet you guys at the hospital so we can report to the Hokage," Kakashi's mellow voice willing me to sleep.

I closed my eyes so I didn't see their answers.

Although my senses were strong I felt mentally drained so it was easy to fall asleep even though the rocking motion made me feel nauseous again.

…o0o…

"Hokage?" a voice called to Tsunade, she turned from her view out of the window to look at the team in front of her. "What should we do?"

She sighed, rubbing a hand over her face tiredly. Where did this girl come from? That was a good question. How did she leave a crater in the ground and have no visible body damage? Another good question.

However the thing that worried Tsunade the most was: how did this girl, undoubtedly a civilian keep up her chakra as a body shield even in unconscious? Or better yet, able to resist any kind of healing touch because of this?

"Kakashi?" she turned her gaze to the pervert, slouching near the window, classically reading his orange covered book.

"Hmmm?" he responded, snapping his book closed as he turned his droopy eye gaze to his Hokage.

"You have room in your flat don't you?"

"By room you mean I have a double bed and a couch, then yes," Kakashi paused before continuing, "But what does this have to do with the girl?"

"Well," Tsunade paused, "You are going to house her until I figure out a way to deal with her. I will find a C class mission for you to go on and if she shows signs of ninja, I'll send her to ANBU to deal with. If not," she shrugged, "just means we have to find a little bit more room for our new citizen."

Kakashi wagged his head. "But why does it have to be in my flat? Why not a nearby inn?"

Tsunade mirrored his actions, "she is a girl Kakashi and while I'm immune to Sasuke's charm myself, others do not have this ability, we can't risk her being another fangirl. I think in all honesty, it would be a danger to the poor girl herself if she was put against Sasuke's wrath," she gave a wry smile, "Naruto _was_ Jiraiya's student, so probably his perversion has rubbed off on Naruto,"

The Hokage continued despite Naruto's protested "Hey!"

"While Sakura is an incredible med nin, it means she won't be around often to keep tabs on 'Jenny' (if that is even her real name). Then I'm afraid, I doubt the council would be willing to fund the housing of a possible missing nin, and a powerful one at that not to mention the prices of the inns have increased too much to afford it. Therefore, you are the most logical option."

Kakashi's grey brow had risen higher and higher throughout her reasoning until now it was in his unruly hairline. Kakashi opened his mouth to protest but the big breasted woman cut him off.

"This is not up for negotiation, Kakashi," Tsunade's voice hardened.

Kakashi closed his mouth with a snap and with an indifferent shrug he answered, "Yes… Hokage-sama."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest but her shishou cut her off. "You, Sakura, are to get her clothes in which to stay at Kakashi's."

Sakura hesitated for a fraction before squaring her shoulders, "Yes, shishou."

Tsunade nodded in satisfaction, "alright, dismissed."

…o0o…

The next time I woke, it was because the sunlight was in my eyes. I winced and covered my face with my hand, the momentary darkness a relief.

Preparing myself I squinted and saw it was sunset so, obviously, the end of the day. Pushing myself forward, the expected roil of nausea was actually non-existent. Happy, I swung my legs over to get the hell out of there.

It wasn't that I wasn't thankful to who ever made me feel better, that wasn't it at all. It was because, in my obvious delirium, that I forgot my fear of hospitals. Sure when they're curing me, they are my best friends but when healthy… let's just say we agreed that time apart was needed.

Taking inventory of what I had which basically wasn't a whole lot, just my hospital gown which didn't cover my butt, I looked for my escape routes. Well the door was an obvious one, however there will be people present who would get a glimpse of my bare backside as I fled the hospital as well as employees who I didn't know whether they would demand payment for health care. I know some countries they demand you pay for making you healthy while England they pay it for you.

The window obviously was the only other choice and tip toeing across the floor, being stealthy and all, I peered out the transparent panes. My heart sank. I didn't exactly have a parachute and I wasn't feeling like I want to be a pancake on the pavement so that left me with the door.

Just as I was turning away to observe my new option, Kakashi and Sakura walked in. I tensed.

Sakura smiled, "well you are looking better," she complimented.

I gave a tight smile and a nod of greeting before eyeing the window beside me.

"The window option is out I'm afraid," Kakashi smiled, his eye twinkled in humour.

I rolled my eyes, "no shit Sherlock."

Kakashi's eyebrow lowered over the jet coloured eye in confusion, "I'm not Sherlock. I am Hatake Kakashi and this is Haruno Sakura."

I cocked my head to the side, "I know that."

"Then why did you call him Sherlock?" Sakura asked, her head also cocked to the side.

I sighed and shook my head. "Never mind, it doesn't matter, all I need to know is: can I leave?"

Kakashi chuckled.

"Phobia of hospitals?" Sakura asked, curious.

"_Can I leave?_"

Sakura shook her head in amusement, "yes you can leave," she said, her pink tresses trailing along her cheeks, "you sound so much like other ninja, so reluctant to go to the hospital."

I felt my shoulders lose their tension in relief. "Okay, good, ummmm," I looked down at my clothes or lack of clothes I should say, "are there any clothes that I can borrow?"

I tugged at the now short hem of my hospital gown. While I was relatively short to Kakashi, five foot eight is pretty tall for women so they must have had midgets in mind when they designed those stupid gowns because it felt like it barely covered anything.

I felt his gaze and I determinedly tried not to look at him, because I knew if I did I would blush.

"Oh!" Sakura exclaimed and reddened as she realised my attire, "sorry I forgot that your clothes were ruined when we found you!"

I flinched and toed the bare ground with my big toe while probably glowing like a neon red sign. The room was quiet for a minute, the awkwardness was slowly eating me and I began to fidget while it seemed Sakura and Kakashi just stared at me.

"Sakura," Kakashi interjected, "maybe you should go check lost property for our guest?"

Sakura jumped in surprise, very alike jumping a skipping rope. "Oh yes of course," she said while hurrying out of the room.

I looked up gratefully to see Kakashi sticking his hands in his pockets.

"So where are you from?" he asked after a brief moment of silence.

"I-" I hesitated. As far as I knew, this wasn't from my time. If I was truly honest, I thought I was in the manga Naruto. I had only seen glimpses because of my friend Rin but I was never into it, I tried one and then I got bored. I decided to play amnesia. "I don't really know."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow as he said flatly, "really."

I was saved from having to answer anything else when Sakura came through the door, carrying a wooden crate and a pair of white plimsolls in the other hand.

"This is all the lost property has, sorry if it's not your size or anything, but we are going to buy you some clothes tomorrow so don't worry." Sakura placed the crate at my feet and then waved the plimsolls in the air, "these are the only shoes that I could find so don't worry if they don't fit; we aren't going to force you to wear them outside the hospital, we're getting you new shoes as well."

"I can also lend you some sleeping clothes if you need," Kakashi chipped in.

I nodded and began to rummage through the box, most was things like bags or make up but there was a couple of tops, one a tasteless yellow t-shirt or grey long sleeved. Horror dawned on me, sleeved.

I forgot to cover my arms when I woke up.

Abandoning my hunt I scanned my arms for their scars only to find that they were as flawless as before the accident. Gaping I ran a finger up and down the now smooth skin, no longer bumpy with scar tissue.

"Are you… okay?" Sakura's voice asked uncertainly, her voice popping my awed bubble. I nodded frantically, in my elation I forgot that there were other people in the room too.

I still chose the long sleeved one because with my new hair, I think that the yellow would clash. There was only some baggy drawstring trackies left which I tugged over my hips under the hospital to maintain my decency.

I blushed when it looked like they were going to watch me change. I turned my back on them and undid the tie at the back and let it fall to the floor as I quickly tugged the top over my head, flipping my hair out from the neck.

Another thing I had noticed about my hair was how long it was. It was usually between my waist and shoulders, but this blue copper sulphide coloured mess went all the way to my hips much to my annoyance.

As I turned back around, I pulled the sleeves over my wrists, a nervous habit of mine. "Do you have any hairbands that I could borrow?" I nudged my nose with a knuckle. Another nervous habit.

Sakura simply slid two off her wrist and handed them to me.

Thanking her I began to tie my hair into two ponytails, both high on the sides of my head. After finishing, I caught both of them staring at me.

"What?" I asked.

Kakashi shook himself out first and offered me his hand to formally shake.

"I'm your new roommate."

Stunned, I looked between Sakura and Kakashi, hoping that this was some kind of joke. I saw Sakura's unhappy face and I looked to Kakashi's strangely indifferent one.

"Huh?" I said stupidly.

"You are going to be staying with me for the duration of your stay here in Konoha." Kakashi stated.

"Um, I'm not trying to be ungrateful or anything but, I uh, don't exactly feel _comfortable_ staying with a man," I looked to Sakura hopefully.

She shook her head sadly and my heart clenched.

"I can't I don't have, um, enough room in my flat." Sakura stuttered out lamely.

I slumped but put a bright smile on for my new roommate.

"Fine," I said, shoving my feet into the plimsolls, "Lead the way roommate."

Kakashi gave me a reassuring eye crinkle before leading me through the busy hallways, me following behind him and Sakura.

While I may not be the most observant woman out there, the fact was I saw the way that their fingers brushed while walking, the little glances Sakura sent upwards. However maybe it would've been unrequited as I could see Kakashi had a book to read while walking, but I was proven wrong as I could see the way the tips of his fingers curled that little bit closer to her own the moment they brushed. The tilting of his head to signal that he was listening closely to what she had to say proved he wasn't reading his book at all.

It was cute the way they hid it. The way that they would dart further away from each other when someone would come too close, the way that the shot back together like magnets when someone walked between them when they were forced apart.

Her giggles, his deep chuckles. Her wringing of her hands, his rubs on the back of his head.

Luckily we were out of the painful hospital before long and were walking in the humid heat towards what I could assume Kakashi's home.

I continued to stroll behind them, trying not to eavesdrop but with nothing to do, I was bored.

"…it will only be a couple of days, so before long she'll either be staying with you until she earns her keep or," Sakura lowers her voice further, "or she'll be their problem."

Their? Whose they? And why was she reassuring him?

Realisation dawned on me: I was cock blocking Kakashi.

"That isn't the problem Sakura," Kakashi whispered, "the problem is you shouldn't be walking this late at night from your night shifts at the hospital all the way home. The reason you were sleeping at my flat was because you promised you wouldn't make these risky decisions."

Okay, so not cock blocking so much as Kakashi was worried for her well being. Awh.

But I don't think that was how Sakura perceived things as her arm was taken away to abruptly to be an accident.

"I can take care of myself Kakashi-_sensei_," she said coolly.

I saw the way he flinched when she used the honorific.

Looking to the ground, feeling intensely awkward, there was a moment where I was like a child watching the parents fight.

"I am a kunoichi, any muggers have to be scared of _me_. I'll be fine, _Sasuke_ allows me my own house on the compound so I can just stay there."

Kakashi recoiled like he had been slapped.

"Well, then go back to Sasuke and enjoy the house of his dead relatives. I'm sure you love that kind of thing."

Now Sakura flinched back.

I winced. It was painful to listen to and watch. I quickly made myself known.

"So where is your flat Kakashi?" I asked as I rapidly pushed myself between them, trying to diffuse the tension.

"I'm sorry Jenny-chan but I'm not exactly feeling well, I'll come pick you up tomorrow at Kakashi's flat to take you shopping," Sakura said flatly, glaring at Kakashi who just glared right on back.

"Oh okay," I gave a little wave that was ignored by the pinkette as she stomped away. The dying sunlight making her hair a hot pink hue.

I caught Kakashi staring after her, a slump sat on his already slouched shoulders.

There was a tense moment of silence before Kakashi seemed to shake himself out of it and turned to me cheerily.

"Why don't we go get something to drink? What better way to celebrate our new partnership as roommates?" Kakashi said, his eye crinkling so much I was afraid he had gone blind.

I nodded cautiously.

"Good," he clapped his hands together, "sorry we are going to be drinking at my place," he shrugged, "What can I say? I'm a cheap skate."

I laughed as the awkwardness eased.

"So how old are you Jenny-chan?" Kakashi asked placing that orange book in his pouch and dug his hands into his pockets. "I kind of feel old with a pretty young thing staying with a man like myself."

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "You don't look that old, about early thirties? So that would be a decade between us at most. I'm twenty three."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow in surprise. "Twenty three? No, more like twenty. I'm sure you still get carded at your local liquor store?"

I gave a nervous laugh, thinking that I was a regular in the local ASDA so much so that they don't bother carding me much anymore. "I wish."

Kakashi shook his head slowly, "Shame on them Jenny-chan. Shame on them."

"Please, just Jenny." I said, looking down at the pavement uneasily.

It wasn't that I wasn't used to comments about being pretty. That wasn't it at all. I wasn't exactly one of those insecure girls, but being given a compliment so earnestly made my blood vessels in my cheeks open until I was flushing.

"Alright just Jenny," Kakashi gave me another eye crinkle so I could see his crow's feet, that I almost forgot that he had an argument with his lady love barely five minutes before. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

I shrugged, my good mood instantly evaporating. "One brother. Sister. Once."

Kakashi examined me closely for a moment. "You seem pretty confident about your answers enough that it seems strange that you can't remember where you live." Kakashi gave a roll of his shoulders like they were stiff. "Pretty selective amnesia, isn't it?"

My stomach dropped along with the blood in my face.

"It wasn't like I can't remember where I lived," I stuttered, "I just remember uh moving from field to field so much that I couldn't tell you. It just blurs together."

Kakashi hmmm-ed so I didn't know if I passed his test or not.

"So what about you? You never told me how old you were?" I gave a little laugh, "I kind of feel like I was being interrogated for a moment there."

Kakashi gave a throaty chuckle which if I had been a lesser woman would have made me swoon.

"I am a man of many ages," he evaded.

"Is this going to become a game of whether I can guess your age?" I asked good-naturedly.

Kakashi turned his body to the side so I could see all his torso in what I could guess muscled goodness under that bulky vest. "That's only if you think you can win," he leaned a little closer, "and I am just saying," he lowered his voice and leaned so close I could feel his breath coming in little puffs. "I. Never. Lose."

I raised a dubious eye brow, can't helping the flush that went low in my belly at his close proximity before I beat it down irritably. "Then I say challenge accepted."

There was a moment of silence before Kakashi cleared his throat.

"What would be more fun is drinking, which we aren't doing," Kakashi said pointedly.

"We can't get there if you don't show me where it is," I said, equally as pointed.

He barely startled just noting his feet were indeed not moving and began to stroll down the pavement, further away from the hospital.

We were walking in companionable silence until I remembered. "Oh!"

Kakashi immediately on his guard looked around alertly. "What?"

"I was just wondering if the guy who gave me their shirt got it back?" I asked, blushing that I spoke so loud that I alarmed Kakashi.

"Oh," Kakashi relaxed himself awkwardly, "Yeah he got it back coupled with your sick."

Horrified I stared up at him, praying that he was joking but from his cheerful delivery I don't think he was.

I face palmed. "Oh God I am so embarrassed." I moaned.

"Who is this God you keep speaking of?" Kakashi's brow furrowed. "Is it like some cult leader?"

I shook my head dismissively. I couldn't even begin to explain God to him. _If by cult you mean one of the largest religions internationally? Then yes, he is a cult leader._

"Ah here we are," Kakashi announced and I looked up from my examination of the pavement to look up at some concrete steps leading up to the second story of flats. We climbed the steep and frankly dangerous steps, riddled with obstacles like slippery algae, cracks, loose steps. I was lucky I even made it to the top.

Kakashi withdrew some keys with a jangled flourish. Opening the door, I followed him quietly into the dark flat which was illuminated by the clipped click of the light switch.

It was an organised mess, where there was mess it was organised into their piles. They all probably had their rhymes and reasons but it was probably forgotten by Kakashi or there was no need for the organisation any longer.

"What do you like to drink?" he asked stripping himself of his green vest as I strolled around, inspecting his flat and spotted the alcohol sitting on the side.

"I'll take that vodka there," I said with a smirk and a point.

Kakashi gave me an approving stare. "I couldn't agree more."

I heard Kakashi banging around the cabinets until he found two dusty glasses which he rinsed with water before filling them with shots. He cradled them both against his obviously flat tummy with one arm. I helped by bringing in the bottle to the living room as well. It looked like we weren't going to waste it.

I swallowed my shot with a choked cough. He did the same through the mask.

I gave him a look as he sloshed more into my cup. "I respect privacy but are you really-"

"Going to drink all this vodka through my mask?" Kakashi shot another back. There was an obvious dark space on his mask. "Yes."

I shot him a smirk and downed my own, holding my cup for more. "They did say curiosity killed the cat, so I'm not going to question it." I shook my cup obviously when Kakashi didn't fill mine.

He paused. He put down the bottle with the transparent liquid, which I quickly snatched up and poured another shot into my glass. I knocked it back quickly grimacing at the awful taste and moved my mouth wordlessly.

Kakashi was still staring at me.

"What?!" I finally exclaimed, feeling a little woozy from the alcohol hitting my system.

"You are saying you aren't curious _at all_ about what's under this mask?" he asked dubiously.

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "I never said that. I'm just saying that I know the feeling, so why bother asking when I know you won't take it off?" I drank another shot, burning my gullet.

"What are you used to hiding?" Kakashi said seriously, his hands clasped loosely between his legs, his shoulders slumped.

"Let's just say I used to have shit load of scars from an accident," I slurred, I grabbed the bottle again and swigged from it straight. "Used to cover them because I was so embarrassed but here it seems like the laws of nature here don't count."

I gave a nonchalant shrug and went to take another swig when someone swiped it from my grip.

I pouted but let Kakashi take a couple of brave gulps, never taking his eyes off me.

"Alright!" I crowed, "Let's get this party started!"

Kakashi gave a derisive snort and took another couple of mouthfuls.

"So tell me," I pushed my loose body closer to the grey haired man. "What is going on between you and dear Sakura?"

I gave a sloppy smile. Kakashi seemed to stiffen and took another fortifying gulp of vodka.

"There is nothing going on," he said coolly, "I don't know where you got the idea that something was happening."

I chortled, lolling back on the sofa.

"Whatever, I don't care," I stared up at the water stained ceiling thoughtfully, "but you do make a nice enough couple."

I fell further back on the cushions as I tried to poke Kakashi in the chest and missed. I groaned. "I am probably going to regret this so much tomorrow."

"Probably, do you know if anyone is going to be looking for you, or who to contact," he asked before continuing a little sardonically, "if you can remember that is?"

I wagged my finger in front of his nose. "Nope sorry you have to get me drunker than this I'm afraid."

"I think with how you are right now, it wouldn't take much more, lightweight," he sighed deeply through his nose, "come on, let's get you to bed."

Kakashi grasped my wrist which was holding the bottle and gently pulled it from my now limp grasp, struggling under the sensational overload. Placing it on the table Kakashi drew me up with him and I stood up with him willingly, slightly comatose with the contact where I could taste the precise bitterness of the vodka, I could see the remnants of vodka clinging to the one eyed man's mask like dew drops. I really wanted to sample those sweet dew drops.

Now I may have been a bit drunk so I stumbled into a lot of objects, occasionally running into the walls but it hurt a whole lot more especially since I had Kakashi to lean on, meaning that my sense of touch was amplified.

After getting slightly more sober direction from Kakashi, we entered his bedroom and with some manoeuvring he got me to sit on the edge of the bed and began to remove his shoes and trousers. In my drunken state I was getting slightly turned on by an attractively fit man stripping in front of me and I was hoping he wasn't wearing briefs and my heart sank when I saw he did have a black pair on.

He turned to his dresser where he pulled out another pair of black boxer shorts and a t-shirt. He turned to me and helped me stand.

"Oh believe me I know how this works," I drunkenly tried to say seductively.

I tugged my shirt over my head and dismissed it at Kakashi's bare feet, white in the dusk light.

"These come next right?" I purred and hooked my thumbs into the waist band of the trackies and allowed them to pool at my feet leaving me as bare as the day I was born.

I stepped out of them, closer to the grey haired man and when I tried to lift his shirt from his body his halted my fingers with a surprisingly strong grip.

"The shirt stays," he said.

I nodded disjointedly, my head feeling unattached to my body. I reached behind his head and untied his eye patch. When it fell from his face, I was expecting some kind of wooden eye or maybe a hole where the eye should have resided except instead, a huge red eye glowed back at me.

I stumbled back trying to ignore the fear that chilled me straight to the bone, I shook my wonky head and stepped one bit closer to him.

My breasts were so close to touching that black fabric, so close to feeling the warmth that I unknowingly caressed earlier that day.

Hooking my hand around the back of his neck I sloppily dragged his head down as I pushed myself to my tip toes and I sucked his mask into my mouth, taking those little droplets of transparent alcohol into my mouth. Grinning at the taste, I released the fabric and pushed myself for more contact and pushed my lips against his.

They didn't move against my own.

In this state I think I couldn't have cared less, as was experienced from me grinding against Kakashi drunkenly, losing my balance a couple of times. His hands weren't pressing into any of my exposed skin, but I could just imagine the feel, the thought making me flush and feel a little bit of my desire to pool at my privates.

Leaning in again, I sighed as my hands burrowed under his shirt, my bare hands against the bare planes. I tried to hook fingers under his mask to pull his naked mouth against mine but Kakashi held tight to my wrists.

When I withdrew, Kakashi had his eyes closed and the moonlight was on his face and I saw the thin line bisecting the eye covered by the eye patch. Gently I traced it with my finger, trying to ignore the kaleidoscope of colours pushing into my vision.

"How did this happen?" I murmured, unconsciously leaning closer again until my lips were almost brushing his again.

Kakashi covered my hand, pulling it away, "Curiosity killed the cat." He reminded me. "Do you need help into your sleeping clothes?" he indicated the clothes which lay abandoned as I had decided to drunkenly seduce him.

I heaved a huge sigh, flipping one of my pony tails over my shoulder to twirl around my finger and lowered my eyes to the floor. "I will put my clothes on," I peeked up through my thick black lashes that acted as a fine tooth comb at this point in time. "If," I continued breathily, and put myself on my tip toes, "you tell me your real age."

Kakashi gave a huff of frustration, "This isn't playing fair." He commented.

"What you get with me are dirty tricks and misleading comments," I said in sing song, walking my fingers up his chest. I giggled. His chest felt weird.

Kakashi caught it flat handed. My eyes rolled backwards at the sight of my eyes tripping, the colours were soon overwhelming me and in the back ground I swear I could hear a beeping and some sobs.

"My age is…" he paused, "whatever you want it to be." He finished lamely.

I mock glared at him. Pulling my hand free from his finally my vision coming back, I crawled onto the bed my bare derriere in the air as I crawled across the bed, blatantly ignoring the clothes laid out for me.

"I didn't know you had a tattoo," he said suddenly.

I peered over my shoulder as if I could see the tattoo on the left side of my lower back. "Yeah, so I do."

I shot him a glance. "Do you want the answer to the unasked question or do you want me in clothes?"

There was a slant of silvery light cutting across his throat so I could see his Adam's apple bob nervously.

"Clothes." I pouted, but rolled over and sat up.

"You're so boring," I moaned, stretching my naked arms above my head.

"Are you going to change or am I going to have to do it for you?" he asked amusedly, his cool façade back in place.

"Well if you're offering…?" I raised my eyebrows playfully.

Kakashi had kept the eye which had the red eye closed and managed to move the other heavenward while keeping the other resolutely shut. Kakashi began to slide the soft cotton boxers up my legs, alighting a slight moan from me.

"You can stop using chakra you know," Kakashi said suddenly.

My eyes looked down to him where he was kneeling in between my legs, in confusion.

"Chakra? I'm not using whatever the hell that is," I lay back down staring at the ceiling.

"Then you are glowing, Firefly," Kakashi smirked, I think. I can't really remember. "Sit up again, I need to put your shirt on."

Obediently I sat up. I looked down at my body and saw my bare torso was glowing exactly like a firefly. I gaped in awe and moved my arms, just examining the hue, to ascertain that it was my body the glow was on.

"Holy shit," I breathed.

I wiggled my fingers and giggled when the glowing digits moved too.

"Holy shit!" I squealed, "This is the most wicked thing ever!"

I think I caught Kakashi with another smile which he tried to cover it when I looked over at him.

"I saw that smile mister," I teased.

Kakashi responded by roughly shoving the shirt over my head. I squawked indignantly but sighed as the feeling of the silky t-shirt pressed against my hot skin.

Feeling a wave of tiredness overwhelming me, I shimmied myself back onto the bed, tucking myself into the bed sheets.

However, I don't know what came over me as Kakashi went to move away. I snatched at his wrist, causing him to pause.

We both were silent listening to the slight rustle of trees outside Kakashi's window, the imperceptible sound of his soft breathing.

"Kakashi?" I whispered, "would you mind staying here with me, at least until I have gone to sleep?"

Another deep suffering sigh, and I could feel my vision becoming more lucid. But that had to be my imagination, I shook my head. No one suddenly becomes sober after the amount that I had drank.

Another moment of silence.

"Kakashi?" I asked in a hushed voice again.

"Hmmm?"

"I'll tell you about my tattoo if you tell me your age?" I rolled so I faced his prone body.

"I'm already sober," Kakashi replied, not once looking back at me. "I'm not drunk enough to answer the question."

I snorted derisively.

"You are possibly the most closed off person I have ever met," I said, tracing on the duvet cover.

"Pot calling kettle," he mumbled, shifting onto his side so he could face me.

"Whatever," I shifted closer. "I'm sorry by the way."

Kakashi raised his eyebrows, "what for?"

"For infringing on your privacy and meaning that you fell out with Sakura. Girls are bitches though," I said simply. "It is the most fundamental truth of life."

Kakashi grunted in amusement.

"You realise you, yourself are one of those 'bitches'?" Kakashi said arching the brow over his black eye higher.

I nodded sagely, "it is the cross that I must bear. Oh the shame!"

Kakashi grunted louder in what could be mistaken for laughter.

We were both quiet for a minute.

"Thanks for letting me stay in your flat," I broke the silence again, "you didn't have to."

"It's not exactly a chore," he said with a wry grin. "I get a pretty young girl to stay in my old man flat for free. Many men would be jealous."

Now it was my turn to grunt in sarcastic humour as I flagged back to stare at the ceiling.

"You don't need to sweet talk me into bed Kakashi," I said, my vision becoming steadily clearer every second, like I was becoming more sober by the second, "I'm already here. And you're not exactly old."

Kakashi chuckled. "That is true."

We now stayed in the silence, just enjoying the feeling of another human being. I yawned, stretching my arms above my head.

"Go to sleep Jenny-chan," Kakashi said, "we'll talk in the morning."

"Jenny, just Jenny." I mumbled before I snuggled into the pillow, enjoying Kakashi's scent of spearmint and tea tree and fell asleep.

* * *

**Edited: 31/05/15**

**Probably should do some revision but meh, I've got three whole days. that's plenty of time right?**


	3. Morning After

Morning After

…o0o…

When I woke up next, I was alone and confused.

This wasn't my bed but then the day before replayed before my eyes. I groaned, smacking the palms of my hands in front of my eyes.

How did I get in this situation? In fact, what happened to send me here? Why always _me?_ Oh god, I hope he doesn't try and bring up my _stupid _drunken seduction. I mean _why_ did I have to do that? I mean yeah he is pretty attractive but I had to focus on more important things.

Things like: how was I going to get back to my world?

Blearily, I pushed myself into a sitting position and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes with a yawn. I paused waiting for the inevitable nausea coupled with my usual alcohol consumption. It didn't come. I waited some more. Nothing.

Overjoyed to have skipped out on the hangover, other than feeling slightly lethargic, but I could live with that, I swung my feet out of the bed. I looked at my surroundings which I didn't in my drunk stupor.

While Kakashi's living room was disorganised, looking completely lived in, his room had the feeling of being unused. Everything was too clean, there were no photos or mementos, no paintings covering the plain white walls.

The only things that proved otherwise were the bookcase that covered the entirety of the wall on my side of the bed and the bed sheets that had those little throwing stars. It was kind of juvenile choice of duvet covers but, frankly, I don't think he was around much to think of changing it considering the layer of dust covering the dresser.

The room looked like the kind a house showing offered.

Being a book reader myself, curiosity finally pushed me to cautiously place a toe on the floor. I flinched at the cold on my already poorly circulated toes. Steeling myself for worse, I placed the soles of my feet on the pale wooden floor.

Hopping quickly over to the bookcase, I began to browse the options. My eyebrows which had started just above my eyes had slowly crept up to my hair line like ivy in surprise.

It was all erotica.

I gave a small laugh as I pulled out different novels. While they may have been of the smutty nature, it seemed like they all had actual plot lines. It was only because on the back of each book had a sticker that I found out they were of the sexy nature. The sticker said:

WARNING: CONTAINS ADULT SITUATIONS.

I snickered and began to browse for some light reading. There was 'The Ninja's Weakness', 'The Drug Lord's Greed' and other such titles, some hinting at the erotic nature, others sounding as innocent as a picture book.

As I was about to pull out another book, a hand caught mine. I froze as the overwhelming feeling of everything sharpening, I could smell the dust, the spearmint and the tea tree, I could also smell meat cooking in another room. The colours brightened and the touch on my wrist gave a tingle and it was like I could feel every crease of his skin.

I sucked in a sharp breath through my nose, trying to adapt to this overload.

"What are you doing?" Kakashi asked in a low voice.

I blushed and tugged my wrist to try and break his hold.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to snoop but I was just looking for some reading," I said, determined to not look at him directly. I was too embarrassed from the night before.

"You read this?" Kakashi held up a book with an orange cover that curiously didn't have a blurb.

"Well no," I admitted, still trying to remove Kakashi's fingers from my wrist, "but I do like the genre you read." I arched a brow, "why is it you read such things again?"

Kakashi shrugged and finally released my wrist and leaned against the bookcase, facing me.

"What can I say? Can't get any on my own so have to live vicariously through the characters of these books?" He gestured the wall of books beside him.

I laughed and turned to look at the options again. "Somehow, I doubt that you can't get any woman you wanted."

I flinched, thinking that he was going to bring up last night and waited, my eyes clenched shut. Slitting one open, I glanced over to him to see he raised an eyebrow incredulously. I immediately reddened and tried to ignore him as I still looked over the various spines. Kakashi sighed and walked over to the far side of the book case and pulled out book, caressed the cover before walking back to me.

"If you're looking for something good, I'd suggest this one," Kakashi held the book out to me, "arguably an overused plot line with an evil king and an assassin with a moral soul to defeat his evil regime. It was a good read though."

I took it hesitantly and looked up into the liquid black eye and noticed with a jolt he had gotten dressed already.

"Okay, thanks," I smiled gratefully.

Kakashi looked at me in surprise as I blushed furiously at his scrutiny.

"What?" I finally asked, not able to take anymore of his intelligent stares, almost seeing to my soul.

Or just about.

"I wouldn't have taken you for a dirty romance reader," he finally said.

I cocked my head to the side, perplexed.

"Then why lend me this?" I tapped the paper cover with a nail.

Shrugging, Kakashi turned around to the door.

"I just thought you were snooping and I wanted to embarrass you."

I squawked indignantly, trying to fumble my mouth into some kind of retort but found I was rendered speechless as I saw the way her stretched his arms up, and with his tight top, a girl could see _everything_.

The way the muscles bunched and loosened, the way the flowed on the skin...Sigh, I shook my head, patting my cheeks punishingly.

Bad Jenny, guy has a girlfriend!

To change the topic, I walked over to my clothes still piled on the floor by the dresser, "can I borrow your shower?"

Kakashi nodded and motioned me to follow him into the hallway and guided me to a surprisingly large bathroom.

"Whoa," I gaped, although the products actually inside the bathroom were pretty cheap, what with bubbling countertops, warped from the continuous steam. There was a significantly large shower and had a rain shower head, I spied through the almost mouldy shower curtain, I have to say the fact that he had a cheap looking bath tub under the frosted window, I didn't keep my mouth closed.

Kakashi tapped my chin up to close my mouth with a brazen eye crinkle. "Close your mouth, your letting the flies in. Do you want to have breakfast first?"

I nodded numbly and allowed myself to be guided back into Kakashi's average kitchen. I saw Kakashi had already begun to cook sausages and bacon. I gave an appreciative sniff.

Kakashi raised an amused eyebrow, "This would be a bad time to tell me you are a vegetarian." He walked over to roll the meat around the sizzling pan. "Aren't you feeling at all hung over?" he looked over his shoulder to where I was slouched against a counter.

I shrugged. "Usually I would have but for some reason all I feel is tired."

"Hmm" he flopped two rashers of bacon on my plate.

I walked to the table and eagerly awaited my breakfast when I took a bite of the heart attack on a plate I couldn't hold back the moan from deep in my throat. "Oh, that tastes fantastic!" I began to scoop more food into my mouth faster.

"You _can_ slow down you know," Kakashi said, meaningfully bringing a forkful of sausage in his mouth slowly with his back to me, his mask in place until the last possible moment.

I rolled my eyes at his antics. "Homfh am I suppothed to apweciate it thwen?"

Kakashi just shook he head, "I don't even know what you are saying." He put another forkful in his mouth.

I swallowed hard. "How am I supposed to appreciate it then?" I gave him a smile before pile some more meat on my fork.

"By not choking on your food so you can actually tell me?" Kakashi suggested with a deep chuckle.

I huffed an exasperated breath through my nose. "I am not appreciating that comment, but I am trying my best to ignore it."

We were silent for a bit before Kakashi cracked it.

"I'm thirty four," he said nonchalantly.

I looked up startled. "Huh?"

"I promised you I would tell you my age if you got into your pyjamas which you did." Kakashi explained.

"Oh, well thanks." I blushed at the thought of the predicament he was faced with. I wanted to apologise but I wasn't sure how to break the subject so after a couple of times where I would open my mouth to say something, I resolved myself to saying nothing at all.

We were both silent again, the only thing breaching it was the slight scrape of knives and forks against the plates.

"My tattoo is a kingfisher," I said awkwardly, remembering our deal from the night before. I felt uncomfortable that he had seen me in my state of inebriation and had nothing to show for it. I didn't really care if he kept his side of the deal or not. I was just happy that he was my roommate.

"Uh, it was meant to be the sister tattoo I was supposed to get with mine," I rubbed the back of my neck. "She was going to get the mirror of it on the opposite side."

Kakashi didn't say anything, he just looked at me with his dark eye which I swear was lightening to a dark grey colour.

Feeling the mood was too heavy for the time of the morning when I should have been having my hang over; I got up and banged around the cupboards until I found a glass which I rinsed before filling with some water.

After one sip, I found I brought it to my mouth again. And again. And again. And before I knew it, I had guzzled it down as if a woman parched from the desert.

"Are you trying to drown yourself now?" Kakashi sniped playfully, the mood returning to light hearted.

I shook my head and took a deep breath. "I don't know what came over me, I was probably more dehydrated from last night than I thought." I turned my gaze to his playfully, "So you aren't feeling hung over?"

"Oh I never said that," he gave a low chuckle that I could tell vibrated through his chest, "I _am_ feeling a little delicate."

"Awww baby," I cooed and reached over to chub his cheek, "can't ickle Kakashi hold his drink?"

Kakashi glared at me and slapped my hand away. He pointed to the door, "Go take a shower."

I rolled my eyes and patted his shoulder, barely lingering because of the senses spike.

Walking into the bathroom, I spied the large mirror and remembered a thought which had been haunting me: what if other parts of myself had changed, not just my hair?

Tentatively I stepped in front of the reflective glass and gasped.

I had my usual black bushy eyebrows which I _thought_ I tweezered at least the night before my exam and I shuddered in horror that boys had seen me like this. That I tried seducing _Kakashi_ like this! _I'll try and convince Sakura to buy me some tweezers today_. With my shallow self reassured I returned to analysing my body.

My cheekbones were still high and sharp, still had the slightly large nose and the plump lips but my usual murky brown eyes were gone. Instead were these ethereal blue eyes that were only a shade lighter than my hair itself. I gaped.

I couldn't believe it.

It was so… awesome!

I grinned and examined my body. Unfortunately I looked like I was still that B-cup bust. In fact my body looked exactly like it did before the accident, meaning I had none of my scars sliding across my arms and stomach. I didn't have the star shaped scars on my chest where a rod punctured my lungs nor the red rough blemishes landscaping my thighs.

Shaking my head at my vainness, I stripped and turned to the massive shower cubicle.

After experimentally turning a few knobs, I managed to get a steady stream out. Pulling the shower curtain closed after me, I began to wet my hair.

It was weird having so much hair. I could barely mange to lather the whole mess without using excessive amounts of the blue goop which I assumed was the shampoo. Then washing it out was a complete and utter bitch.

There was no other way of putting it. It was a complete bitch.

There was no conditioner and unfortunately considering he was a guy and while his hair was unruly, it wasn't overly long so didn't require the smoothness of conditioner that girls did. I sighed in frustration but turned to the bar of soap where I lathered my body and I smelled the spearmint and tea tree. I leaned my head back against the water in luxurious relaxation.

I heard shouts outside the bathroom door and I tilted my head towards the sound in confusion.

There was an almighty _SLAM!_

"Alright, Jenny-chan we're leaving!" Sakura's voice came through the shower curtain before it was rudely yanked away.

I screamed and Kakashi who was standing by the empty doorway comically slapped his hands to his eyes to maintain my decency.

"Jesus Christ woman, _what are you doing!_" I screamed, trying to cover myself up from her clinical gaze.

"Oh Jenny-chan I'm sorry I forget after a shift at the hospital that some people wouldn't want me seeing their body-" Sakura began apologetically.

"GET OUT!" I screamed, pointing to the door.

"Now really, it's not like I haven't seen it all before!" Sakura irritated put her fisted hands on her hips.

Kakashi realising covering his eyes wasn't actually helping me quickly ran in and grabbed Sakura by the arm and dragged her out the room, shooting me an apologetic look before closing the door with a now broken lock.

I sighed in relief when the door closed and slumped against the wall.

My whole body flushed. _Oh. My. Fucking. God!_

I covered my face with my hands as if _that _would get rid of the embarrassment of Sakura and Kakashi seeing me naked twice in two days. Kakashi seeing more than two times!

Then indignant rage came flushing through my body.

How dare she come in here expecting me to be okay with her barging in and seeing me naked? I mean Jesus, I have had only a _day_ without my life long scars, the only person to enjoy my flawless arms and stomach was _me_.

With a nod, I began to vigorously dry my body in angry swipes and then started to change. It was only when I was pulling my long hair out of the hole of the long sleeved top that my rage at Sakura had dissipated slightly.

Satisfied that I had everything accounted for I walked out of the room to the kitchen which was swimming in a very tense atmosphere.

Kakashi was standing by the sink carefully and meticulously cleaning each plate and then drying it equally as thorough. I swear I could hear the squeak; that was how clean each plate was.

Sakura was staring at her hands an angry scowl on her face. I coughed awkwardly.

Sakura's head shot immediately upwards and when she saw my face she smiled, "Hey."

I nodded at her, the anger at her earlier intrusion still fresh in my brain. I turned to Kakashi who's only sign of having heard me was a curious tilt of his head in my direction.

"Do you mind if I have a cup of tea?" I asked. "It's only because of last night, I think I am still a little tired."

This was obviously the wrong thing to say because Sakura slammed a fist onto the table where I could see it crack a little. Kakashi seemed oblivious to the sign of anger from Sakura and continued to wash each pan and utensil used at breakfast.

"I _still_ can't believe you let her drink alcohol and straight after coming out of hospital!" Sakura raged as if they hadn't stopped the conversation.

Kakashi didn't bother turning around as he placed the pan on the drying rack. "She was the one drinking it like it was water," he replied shortly.

"That is true," I agreed, "I mean he was the sober and sensible one while I was going crazy-"

Sakura turned her furious gaze on me, glaring. "I know. He told me." she seethed. "You have some gall for trying to take another woman's man."

I held my hands up defensively, backing up. "I was extremely drunk!" I tried to defend myself, "In any other case, I wouldn't have. I'm really sorry."

"You better finish up quick we have stuff to do today," Sakura said coldly, ignoring all sense of argument.

I pushed my feet into my plimsolls and was angrily pushed towards the door. I tried to dig my heels into the carpet to slow us down, but Sakura was a woman of incredible strength and continued to push me away from Kakashi.

I turned before I was shoved out of the door and called over to Kakashi in the kitchen, "thanks for breakfast! It was delicious!" and had to give a hurried goodbye as I was all but yanked out of the door.

Sakura grabbed my upper arm and dragged me down the cement steps of the block of flats and down the street, dodging other rushing citizens. We only slowed down when we were out of sight of Kakashi's building.

Sakura sighed in relief. "Sorry about shouting at you, me and Kakashi aren't on the best of terms at the moment and I just got jealous."

She gave me an apologetic smile. I gave a weak one in return.

"I'm also sorry for barging in on you in the shower and being very blunt with you yesterday," Sakura continued. "I get very defensive over the comments I receive about my hair."

I gave her an incredulous stare, "It's only hair. But whatever, it's fine," I swallowed the hot bile I got from saying such a distasteful lie.

I continued to walk forward, just wondering if how long I could leave it before I tried and bail.

"It's not _just_ hair," Sakura frowned, "it's the thing that guys look at and think that I must be the new form of hooker."

I almost laughed as I looked at her attire. I realise that it must have seemed mean of me to laugh at her but if I'm honest, the clothes she was wearing, well… it was the most un-hooker like clothes you could ever come across. A red top that didn't offer anything of cleavage, but I could see some hookers wear some shorts just like Sakura's. However, she was wearing a head band with a weird symbol that now I think about it, Kakashi had on his eye patch.

We continued to walk in blissful silence until Sakura stopped in horror when she heard a shriek of "Forehead!" came from the direction we were walking.

We both turned to look to see a purple clad blonde running and waving to meet us.

Sakura forced a smile and waved back, "Ino-Pig!"

Ino embraced Sakura and turned to observe me. "Who are you?" she asked bluntly.

I smiled, instantly liking her. I held my hand out to shake.

"Jenny."

Ino smiled and took my hand and began to drag me down the street.

"I heard my help was needed to get you some clothes to wear," she eyed my clothes critically, "I can see why."

I laughed. "Thank God."

Ino cocked her head to the side, "whose God?"

Internally I sighed but outwardly I said, "no one important."

I hoped that He wasn't listening or I was going to smited for the blasphemy.

"INO-PIG!" Sakura yelled after us, "We have a budget to follow."

Ino pouted. "Fine, so what do we need to get?"

"Underwear," I said immediately.

Ino shot me a knowing grin. "Come on let's go to Midnight Lace!"

Sakura halted us both with a hard hand on each shoulder.

"BUDGET INO-PIG!" Sakura snarled.

Ino rolled her eyes but stopped anyway and turned to me.

"When you get the money from the mission I will take you to Midnight Lace," she gave me smile which I returned eagerly.

"Is it good quality? Like is it lingerie or normal cotton stuff?" I asked as we walked, Sakura on the other side of Ino.

"Lingerie, the good stuff, has every colour of the rainbow basically." Ino rolled her eyes to me, "So I noticed a lot of _tension_ between you and Forehead here. What was that about?"

"I am right here Pig!" Sakura growled.

"She stormed in on me showering," I said with a teasing smirk, to show that I was joking.  
Ino turned to Sakura with an outraged gasp.

"Billboard, you can't just walk in on people showering! This isn't the hospital!"

Sakura glared right on back.

"What she didn't tell you that she tried to take Kakashi from me last night!"

I blinked in surprise. I thought we were over that. Apparently not.

Ino now turned her furious gaze on me.

"I was drunk!" I shot back, my eyes darting for some kind of protection. "I honestly didn't mean to!"

Ino turned back to Sakura who fisted her hands, "that's still not an excuse!"

I huffed indignantly, "I wouldn't have done it if I was sober!"

"Are you saying Kakashi isn't worth doing if sober?! Oh kami it is on! I am going to beat you into a pulp!" Sakura strode towards me, her fisted right hand raised to send me a punch that I anticipated would hurt like a bitch.

Sakura went to leap on me but Ino held her back from scratching my eyes out.

"What the hell Ino! Let me go!" the pinkette snarled, trying to get out of Ino's restraining hands.

"Right I think we need to start all over again," Ino tried to say over Sakura's incoherent snarls and shouts. Ino turned her steely gaze to me. "Jenny apologise to Sakura for trying to have sex with Kakashi."

"I've already apologised!" I said folding my arms across my chest. "I was drunk! I cannot be accountable to my actions."

Looking back that was probably the most bitchy thing I have ever said. I wasn't usually this catty but I blame it on clashing personalities.

Ino narrowed her eyes. "Apologise!" she yelled.

I threw my hands into the air in exasperation. "Fine!" I turned my stare to Sakura, "I'm sorry again for trying to seduce your secret boyfriend!"

Sakura's snarl lessened a bit and stopped struggling against Ino but huffed and turned slightly away from me.

"Now Forehead, accept the apology."

There was a tense moment of silence before a puff of air and then a muttered "fine, accepted."

Ino nodded satisfied, "now Sakura apologise for walking in on her showering and being overall a bitch about something that _didn't even happen_."

Sakura arched a pink eyebrow but dropped her arms from their defensive position and looked at me. "I'm sorry for being a bitch."

I offered a sheepish grin and said, "forgiven."

We shared easy smiles. Ino huffed next to us.

"Okay can we shop now?"

We all laughed and continued.

"So where are you from Jenny-chan?" Ino started down the street again.

I shrugged noncommittally, "I think my family travelled from field to field. I don't know it was a little bit blurry. Oh and just call me Jenny."

"Yeah, I'll bet, after the landing you created, I wouldn't be surprised." Ino reached for a stall to finger a scarf.

"What about my landing?" I asked confused, looking from Sakura to Ino and back again.

Ino arched and incredulous eyebrow. "You don't know about the massive crater you created in Training Ground Three?"

I pished, "Bull shit."

Ino and Sakura traded significant glances which I didn't understand.

"Well it's nothing you need to worry about." Ino said airily turning to a stall with more scarves but had her hand slapped away by Sakura. "Ow, Forehead!"

"We need to focus and buy Jenny her gear for tomorrow's mission!" Sakura scolded and turned away from the brightly coloured stall, to a boring, plain one where they had bras laid out on the table.

My heart sank and it was now time for me to exchange a look with Ino, one that spoke of disappointment and promise of doing a shopping trip with just each other.

"Why am I going on a mission?" I asked, "I don't really have any qualifications to go on one."

"Nonsense," Sakura dismissed me easily, holing up a bra for my inspection. I barely managed to hold back my sneer. Instead I just shrugged. "All we have to do is escort some civilians and their cargo, not through any dangerous country, all it means is that we are going to have to a lot of walking. It will take at most five days to reach our destination and come back." She paused and muttered darkly. "That is if we aren't late."

"Oh pig I forgot to ask, how is that new assistant working out for you?" Sakura asked.

Ino huffed darkly, "She is _awful_ the only work she does is have sex in the back room," Ino flipped her fringe out of her face, "If anyone is going to have sex in the backroom it is going to be _me and Shikamaru_."

Sakura rolled her eyes and began to load her bars into her arms as Ino ranted. "She gets the orders wrong, she is always late and she had the cheek to ask me for a raise the other day!"

Sakura shot a look towards me before turning to the irate blonde. "Then maybe you should just fire her?" Sakura suggested.

Ino let out a disbelieving snort, "Of course I can't! No one wants to bother working for minimum wage for starters!"

"I wonder why that is," Sakura muttered lowly to me.

I giggled.

"Then most don't like the responsibility of the entire café!"

As Ino continued to rant, Sakura paid for some bras where the only guidance I gave was my size.

The day continued much like that where Ino or I would see something pretty and Sakura would shoot it down and replace it with a plainer and cheaper version where me and Ino would hold contempt for the entire stall. I would refrain a grimace while I would catch Ino's eye who couldn't even do that. I would snort, Sakura would give both me and Ino the stink eye until we quieted down.

Ino and I would then sigh in disappointment and hang our heads wishing for the shopping trip to end.

It was when Sakura had run off without us that Ino and I actually had a proper conversation. Ino turned to me eagerly.

"So how did you begin to proposition Kakashi then?" She turned my shoulders forcefully until I faced her and shook me a little. My head snapped back and forth, I felt all my brain cells bashing together painfully and rattle.

"Well I was drunk," I began uneasily, unsure whether Ino would report back to Sakura like a back stabber.

Ino rolled her blue eyes, exasperated. "It's okay, I'm not Forehead. I don't think you could be blamed." She lowered her voice. "He is some fine piece of ass."

I smirked. "Not that you are a taken woman or anything is going to stop you perusing the stock."

Ino laughed, tilting her head back. "Oh, I like you, I think we are going to get on well."

I chuckled, "Well thank Go-" I cut myself off. I realised I used God _way_ too many times in a sentence. "I mean thank you, I think we will too."

"If I am being completely honest Forehead is completely wasting her time with him. So yeah, he loves her but how long if she keeps going off with Sasuke-"

"Wait what?!" I hissed, cutting her off.

Ino covered her mouth, horrified. "Uh, nothing, just pretend you didn't hear that."

I scowled, "Kakashi is my-" I hesitated, unsure what we were, acquaintances? Friends? "my roommate," I finished, "and at this point my loyalty lies with him than Sakura."

Ino nodded. "I would be too with what Sakura is doing isn't very good right now but when it comes to _him_ it's like Forehead can't stop herself."

"Whatever," I forced myself to smile.

Just rushing through the rest of the day, thinking about what could Sakura could be doing and hoping against hope that the stall would be the last so I could get back to my roommate.

…o0o…

I knocked on the door to Kakashi's apartment exhausted. Sakura refused to come up because apparently things were still a bit bad between them.

Ringing on the door bell, I leaned on the wall beside the door, not finding the energy to drop the bags yet not finding the energy to hold them up any longer. Finally after a significant number of snaps the tell-tale sign of multiple locks coming undone, Kakashi opened the door and scrutinised my haggard form.

After a moment of quiet, I thought to fracture it.

"Are you going to stand there or are you going to let me in?" I asked, a tired smile stretching my face.

Kakashi gave a chuckle and took several bags from one hand and helped me in. We dumped them just by the door and I barely had the energy to take my plimsolls off and make it to the sofa where I slumped down, my face planted in a cushion.

"Nghhhh," I groaned after a moment. "I refuse to ever go shopping with them ever, ever again. Well actually I'll go with Ino, I need to go to that store Midnight Lace."

While Ino was good at choosing the nice clothes, she also chose the slightly more expensive and impractical ones. On the other hand, Sakura chose all the utilitarian and practical clothing and had this look when we even suggested something that I didn't strictly need. I wasn't even allowed brightly coloured bras, much to my chagrin. So I ended up with many white cotton granny pants and matching, no padding cotton bras. (Okay the moan about the granny knickers _were_ half valid but I'll let you into a secret: I loved to wear them on my lazy days.)

I was allowed only green, dark grey and black tops and it seemed in the ninja world they had no sign of understanding loose bottoms unless you were boys. So I ended up with Sakura's tight shorts except mine were down to just below my knees and where the seams were meant to be on the outer thighs it was criss crossing black string which allowed a little flesh to be shown and then where tied in bows at the tops of my hips.

Kakashi gave another good natured chuckle and lifted my legs and rested them on his lap when he had situated himself where he probably previously sat. Internally I held my breath until my body had adapted to his touch, to the five senses getting higher. Under all the obvious smells I could have sworn that I smelled disinfectant, the kind they use in hospitals and if I strained my ears hard, a slight beeping.

"I know where Midnight Lace is," Kakashi offered.

I was lucky my face was buried in a cushion at that point of time because I blushed right into the roots of my hair. I could imagine him holding a hot pink lace thong and arching an eyebrow at my choice of underwear. I shook my head.

"No you don't need to trouble yourself," I added hurriedly.

"It's not troubling if I'm doing it for my own purposes too,"

I frowned and sat up to look at him when I heard the mischievous tone in his voice.

"What are your purposes that require being in a lingerie store?" I asked suspiciously.

"I'm surprised you didn't hear it from Ino or Sakura," Kakashi gave a smile, "I'm classified as the village pervert."

There was a shocked moment of silence before-

"WHAT?!" I screeched, pulling my legs into my body, curling up to protect myself from any untoward actions. "AND THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HOUSE ME WITH HIM!?"

Kakashi laughed and patted a foot that was closest to him.

"I'm no more of a pervert that Naruto," Kakashi gave me another eye crinkle, probably to reassure me. It didn't. "It's because I read porn. That is the reason I am considered a pervert."

I put my hand on my throbbing heart beat tattooing on my skin. I huffed a sigh of relief and gave a little giggle.

"Oh my g-, you scared me for a bit." I giggled again and flopped my head back on the sofa's arm. "Jesus, if you reading graphic sex is seen as a pervert thing to do, does that mean I'm a pervert?"

"I'm afraid it does," Kakashi dead panned, "They are rounding up all the perverts in one place so we are not risking the innocence of the other civilians."

I laughed again. "Is there a pervert ghetto yet?"

"We are the beginning," Kakashi dead panned, the sound of every cheesy end of the world movie.

We stared at each other for another moment, I couldn't keep the dire facial expression on for long and began to smile which I think Kakashi mirrored but I couldn't tell until his eye crinkled.

"Should I make dinner?" I asked, wanting to break eye contact with him as I stood. While I found Kakashi attractive, he was about as available as a married man and his wife was Sakura, who while we started off rough, was one of my good friends. "I mean it's the least I could do since you are letting me live in your flat."

Kakashi smiled. "Well I'm not going to turn down the offer of free food from a pretty girl."

I pished, trying to ignore the pleasurable flush given at the complement as I walked to the kitchen.

"Just to warn you I can only cook stir fry and cookies." I gave a smirk over my shoulder as I started to clean the surfaces to prepare the food.

Kakashi followed me and slouched on a nearby counter, continuing to read his orange book.

"We'll probably have to make a food run considering I can't actually cook anything other than a fry up and instant ramen." Kakashi gave me a smile.

I grinned back and whipped him with the tea towel, "Wench help me clean everything up!"

"Who's the wench?" Kakashi growled, advancing on me.

The blood drained from my face before I realised that he was joking as he tickled my in punishment.

"Kakashi, stop we have to clean the kitchen so we can eat!" I laughed as my body collided with his hard one. I felt a tingle and I quickly let go of the cloth and let him have it as I went to the drawer to hunt for another one, "Because I don't know about you but I am starving."

Kakashi gave a long suffering sigh over my shoulder and I shot him a look.

I pointed emphatically at the infection ridden counter behind him, "Clean!"

Kakashi muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "bossy".

We worked in companionable silence. When everything was as white as it should have been instead of the garish grey that it was I began to write a list of all the things we needed.

With a satisfied sigh, I turned to Kakashi who was already thumbing through the pages of his novel. I rolled my eyes and hooked my hand through his elbow and tugged him to begin walking. We only had to pause for me to put shoes on as Kakashi seemed to always have his on.

I remembered what we were talking about earlier. "You never answered my question by the way," I commented.

Kakashi just turned a page with a rustle, "hmmm?"

"What are your purposes in Midnight Lace?" I gave him a grin.

Kakashi without looking up, "I am nothing but a humble, knicker entrepreneur." He said simply.

I stumbled for a couple of paces stunned before I began to laugh. It was so unexpected that I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm sorry but, you are a knicker entrepreneur?" I asked dubiously.

"Yep," he turned another page.

"You deal in women's underwear?" I tried to confirm.

He grunted in agreement, his eye continuing to scan the page he was on.

I was too busy gawking at him to notice I was about to walk into a pole if Kakashi hadn't pulled me with his elbow out of the oncoming collision.

I blushed. "Sorry, so how many businesses have you got going?" I asked, humour evident in my voice.

"I don't collect businesses, I collect the women's knickers." the one eyed man stated as matter of fact before infuriatingly calmly turning the page of his smutty story.

I arched a disbelieving eyebrow, "And I assume you didn't get these the honourable way?"

He didn't respond and we continued to walk where I could see a shop illuminating in the distance.

Kakashi turned his eye forward, "ah here we are."

I looked up in surprise and saw we were outside the food store, going in as I was picking up the noodles I finally plucked up the courage to ask:-

"So did Sakura give you hers after you guys slept together?"

It wasn't like he froze up, it was more like his lack of movement, he still picked up objects but didn't really read what they were saying.

I felt bad for asking and quickly turned back to the list I had made up and jumped when Kakashi answered.

"We haven't slept together, so I wouldn't know."

I was so shocked, that I dropped the packet of sugar snap peas. I was also confused. That was my main emotion. I didn't understand why two people seemed to get along as well as they did and had fights over another girl staying over at the guys house. The little things like jealousness, the nervousness.

I shook my head.

"I'm sorry I don't think heard you right," I bent and picked up the sugar snap peas. "You guys haven't slept together?"

He was silent.

"But then," I frowned, "Why do you guys act like a couple?"

Kakashi shot me a look that said to stop where I was going with this.

"We don't," he replied shortly, while violently adding the carrots into the plastic bag.

"You do," I insisted, following him to the premade sauces, "She acted like the jealous girlfriend when she heard that I had tried to have sex with you, the way that you guys make way too much contact than needed-"

"Jenny, drop it."

I closed my mouth and we continued shopping in a sullen silence.

We were walking home when I pulled Kakashi to a stop.

The pervert looked down at me curiously until I wrapped my arms around his waist awkwardly as I still had the shopping bags in my hands and Kakashi still had his vest on. Kakashi stood there stiffly for a moment.

"Jenny-"

I shushed him. "This is my way of giving free love, let me give it to you."

I heard him drop the other bags and slowly brought his arms around me too.

"We perverts have to stick together," I whispered into his chest.

I felt the rumble of his chuckle through his thin black top and the radiating heat of it to my forehead.

Finally we parted in lighter spirits and when we went into the flat I cooked us sweet and sour stir fry before we both curled up on the sofa with our smutty books, my sock clad feet resting on his lap while his free hand rubbed soothing circles on the ball of my foot.

And it was like that we went to sleep.


	4. C Class Mission? Bitch S!

C Class Mission? Bitch S

"**We perverts have to stick together," I whispered into his chest. **

**I felt the rumble of his chuckle through his thin black top and the radiating heat of it to my forehead. **

**Finally we parted in lighter spirits and when we went into the flat I cooked us sweet and sour stir fry before we both curled up on the sofa with our smutty books, my sock clad feet resting on his lap while his free hand rubbed soothing circles on the ball of my foot. **

**And it was like that we went to sleep. **

…o0o…

I woke to a thumping. I groaned and tried to roll over and found a crick in my neck. Winching my eyes open I took in my surroundings.

There was a low table with the remnants of our sweet and sour stir fry, the usual clutter so I assumed I was lying on the cheap sofa for some un-god-known reason and then I felt a soothing rub on the ball of my left foot. I purred and snuggled in closer when I felt something prod my face.

I scrunched my face in displeasure and bumped myself further back into the couch. The prodding was insistent and the thumping was just as bad.

"Go away," I mumbled, batting at the prodder.

"Answer the door then," Kakashi mumbled blearily back, nudging my cheek again with his foot. I found that we were lying tops and tails on the sofa, our feet in the others face.

"That foot better be clean," I muttered darkly.

"And if it isn't?" Kakashi resettled himself under my feet at the other end of the sofa.

"Then no hang over cupcakes for you, or getting lucky cookies or my lip sizzling lemon cake or-"

"Stop, you're making me dribble," Kakashi mumbled, sounding closer to sleep than I was.

The thumping got louder and was now coupled with a deadly calm and arrogant voice that I know I heard somewhere before…

"Kakashi, I know you can hear me, I can sense your chakra signal from here," the voice said menacingly, "you have five seconds to open this door before I break it open. Five."

When Kakashi gave no sign of moving, I hurriedly tried to move myself from the sofa and fell into an ungainly heap on the floor rushing against the count down while Kakashi still lounged on the sofa. Kakashi snickered and I sent him a murderous glare over my shoulder as I rushed to the door.

"Two."

I wrenched the door open with an indignant huff.

"Just _who_ in the hell do you think you are?" I demanded, a hand on my hip.

The guy who had blatant vanity in his voice? Well now I could understand why.

His hair was a dark black, blacker than eye pupils, all ruggedly messed up as if he just got out of bed. Sharp angles on his face and with his upper lip curled into a sneer I could see the whites of his teeth. Well built, his shirt lay a little open so I could see his little dent from where his chest muscles were so defined.

The shallow part of me slightly melted inside. But then the saner part of me _really_ hated the way he was so self-assured with his good looks.

But what drew me in and couldn't seem to drag my eyes away from was the redness of his eyes and that's when I realised-

"Holy shit you have the same eyes as Kakashi's!" I exclaimed, opening the door wider for Kakashi to see who it was, "Oh and you have someone to see you pervert."

"Thanks firefly, I can see that," Kakashi said amusedly, I almost bristled at the use of the nickname. "And to answer your question, this guy is Sasuke and I believe he is our alarm for being late."

_Sasuke…_ where did I hear that name again? Shaking it away for another time, I turned to the problem at hand.

"Late?" I asked, a bar forming between my eyebrows. "No that can't be right, we're not setting off until one I thought." I heard silence beside me and I arched an eyebrow towards my roommate. "Right Kakashi?"

Kakashi had the decency to look sheepish and rubbed the back of his head nervously and gave a chuckle.

"Well there was a firefly that needed help to stay awake during the night and so being the kind man-"

"Pervert-" I interrupted with a snarl.

"-that I am, I decided to stay up with her and then made sure she could stay up with her other firefly friends." Kakashi gave what I think was meant to be an endearing eye crinkle, instead it just made me put my hands on my hips when I caught the black out the corner of my eye.

"Oh sorry Sasuke, come in and I'll go get our stuff and get ready," I stepped back so he could step through the threshold.

He gave me an odd look before coming in himself.

"Shotgun shower first!" I called to Kakashi who was still by the door.

"But it's my flat!" he called back.

"But it's your fault we are late!" I paused spying the scissors on the side, "actually if you help me, I'll give you first shower _and_ I'll make breakfast."

"Done," he said, immediately at my side.

I gave him a grin. "Chop my hair until it is about yay high?" I indicated my hair residing just above my breasts.

"And you couldn't do this because?" he arched an eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes and handed him the scissors. "Just do it? I don't care if it's even."

He gave a huff but untied my pony tails until they rested on the back of my torso. Taking the scissors, Kakashi narrowed his gaze as he ascertained how long to make it and how even before he snipped, leaving blue snakes, wriggling on the floor. The whole procedure was done in five seconds.

"Alright go take a shower, I'll put our bags by the door and I'll make you cereal?"

"We have no milk," he pointed out.

I frowned in thought. An idea caught to flame, I clapped. "Scrambled eggs?"

"Done." Kakashi rushed into the shower and I heard the running water.

I quickly went into his bedroom and yanked one of the bags to no avail. I huffed in aggravation and gave another desperate tug.

"Do you need a hand?" a smooth whiskey kind of voice asked.

I looked over my shoulder to see Sasuke leaning against the door jamb nonchalantly, his arms folded cockily over his chest.

I sent him a smile. "That would be great thanks."

I tried to lift Kakashi's one again but Sasuke simply brushed me aside and if I was completely honest I think he made sure my hands brushed his hard chest. I puckered my brows but let it slide, going to try and lift my one which I knew would be considerably lighter but Sasuke took it straight out of my hand hefting what I knew to be heavy bags, one possibly more and was treating it like it wasn't heavier than a bag of sugar.

I gaped after him and then realised that I had breakfast to make.

I rushed to the kitchen barely avoiding Sasuke in a collision when he was returning. I blushed as I almost fell on my butt if I hadn't caught the wall next to me. I shot him an apologetic grimace before racing past him, not until after did I realise I caught him sending me a smirk.

I pulled the pan out of the cupboard and reached for the carton of eggs in the fridge only to find that Sasuke had already gotten them out and was handing them to me. I slowed my rushing to take them from him disoriented with him being almost under my feet all the time but began to crack them and place them in pan with a dollop of butter.

"Do you want any?" I asked, awkward with the silence and pointed to the pan with my wooden spoon, not looking up at Sasuke who was leaning on the counter next to me.

"Yes."

I waited for the 'please' and frowned when it didn't come. I shrugged it away, favouring speed more than anything, cracking more eggs into the pan. I awkwardly reached over Sasuke's body to reach the cabinet where the salt and pepper were.

I tried to ignore the way his chest cavity was taking in more oxygen without actually doing the tell-tale sniff, but I knew he was doing it all the same.

I leaned back in confusion. "Are-are you _sniffing_ me?" I looked up to his now black eyes.

"Whoa, why are your eyes black?" I prodded his face with a finger, "I could have sworn that they were red."

Sasuke caught my finger and dragged me forward until I collided with his chest.

"I don't like people touching me," he breathed.

I leaned back to avoid as much contact as possible. "Um, yeah, sorry about that, no filter." When he still didn't release me, I squirmed. "You kind of need to let me go, the eggs might burn."

I darted my eyes to look everywhere but at him. "You don't fancy me do you?" Disbelief coloured his tone.

Startled, I considered the black haired ninja and then decided I didn't like his attitude. "That was possibly the most conceited thing I have ever had the misfortune to witness."

I tugged my wrist out of his hold and turned to the eggs to just in time save them and put them on three plates where Kakashi came in wearing all his gear, tucking a needle up one of his sleeves. Turning his back on us, he grabbed a fork and shovelled some egg into his mouth and moaned.

"What is it?" I asked worriedly, fluttering my hands in front of me. "Is it okay?"

"For someone who said she can only cook stir fry and cookies, you sure know how to cook scrambled eggs." I flushed at the compliment and quickly made my departure into the shower, stripping off my clothes.

With my head lighter without the extra hair, I lathered quickly, using the suds to cover my body too. With a rinse I forwent the conditioner and hopped straight out of the shower into a hard chest. I gasped.

"Holy-" just when I was about screech, a hand clamped down on my mouth. The senses flooded through me overwhelming me.

_-"…wake up?" the voice sobbed. _

_That incessant beeping was annoying me. _

"_Brain activity is normal-"_

I was sucked back to reality when I heard:-

"Shhh, it's just me." Kakashi shushed me when he saw me about to yell at him again.

I wrestled his hand away and a little part of me knew that he let me.

"What the hell do you think you are doing!" I hissed, cupping my arm around my chest and using my other to cover my privates. "I thought you _weren't_ a pervert?"

"I'm not, but I was cutting time by coming in to brush my teeth and truthfully we are wasting time arguing. Hurry up," and with that he walked out of the room.

"Jackass," I muttered after him, loud enough that he would have been able to hear me.

All I received was that familiar chuckle to which I rolled my eyes and turned to my clothes.

Clipping my cotton bra into place and tying bindings into place, I tugged a black t-shirt over my chest and pushed it down to my hips. I pulled my shorts on and in my haste, kept catching my toes in between the cross links much to my annoyance. Completing the look, I finished tying the outer seams almost closed with little bows by my hips.

I rushed out of the room to see my plate of eggs still there and I quickly took a few mouthfuls of the cold eggs. I grimaced but kept loading it into my mouth. Kakashi looked at me in either awe or disgust either one it didn't really matter, his Icha Icha was forgotten in his hand.

"W'rr wate," I mumbled through a mouth full of food.

"I know that," Kakashi reached over and wiped away a piece of egg on my cheek. I didn't inhale so much as stiffened as my taste buds amplified until I tasted the real sliminess of the cold eggs. I grimaced again. "But as we are late by a couple hours a few more minutes won't matter."

I swallowed my breakfast and chugged down the glass of water in front of me. "But we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place, if you had told me the real time we were meeting up." I said pointedly.

Kakashi shrugged, opting to turn another page.

"He is never on time for anything," Sasuke said from the doorway.

I jumped almost choking on my water.

"Holy shit, don't sneak up on me," I scolded, coughing to try and maintain an airway between my mouth and lungs.

Sasuke sat gracefully on the seat next to me and I tried to remain oblivious of his presence but I could have sworn that he kept leaning closer to me. I shuffled my seat a little further away but he must have been drunk because he kept tilting towards me.

I shot Kakashi a look only to see him completely absorbed by his book. I rolled my eyes in frustration until Kakashi resettled himself in his chair, his book hitting a glass of water hard, knocking it over. A glass of water that spilled all over Sasuke.

Sasuke leaped up with disgust all over his face.

"Whoopsies, how clumsy of me," Kakashi offered Sasuke an apologetic eye crinkle.

"Jesus, Kakashi," I reprimanded but secretly happy for the distraction. "You are so clumsy."

Kakashi frowned. "Who's Jesus?"

I rolled my eyes in exasperation. Why did I always do this?

I turned to get a tea towel for Sasuke and when that was handed to him I spoke.

"I'm just going to get one more thing and then we can go," I gave a smile as I rushed out of the room.

…o0o…

With my back turned I didn't see the look Kakashi sent Sasuke, who returned it with a smirk of his own.

"Don't mess with this girl's head Sasuke. She is innocent," Kakashi warned him.

Sasuke shrugged. "I find it interesting that she doesn't find me a catch or even tried to flirt with me. Even if she is playing hard to get, it is like she is not even trying." Sasuke paused, mulling over what he said. "I don't think she could be rogue nin."

"That much was obvious," Kakashi snarked, before lowering his voice further. "She is not Sakura, Sasuke. Sakura had many friends to get over you, Jenny only has me. Don't play with this girl."

Sasuke shrugged and smirked. "Jealous are we sensei?"

Kakashi frowned. "I would be jealous if I cared about her in that way but alas I'm shooting for Sakura instead," he paused gauging his reaction to his comment and much to his delight he saw the Uchiha stiffen. "Also I would have to live with the poor girl. I don't do tears well."

Sasuke folded his arms across his chest and despite Kakashi's earlier jab, his smirk increased.

"Sasuke because you don't understand basic human emotion, I'll explain this slowly: boys can care about girls in the non-romantic sense."

Sasuke's eyes flashed red. "What about our Sakura, Kakashi-_sensei_?" Sasuke spat. "Do you care about her in a 'non-romantic sense'?"

To a person who didn't know the pervert they would've said that he didn't react, that he sat there, that he was unresponsive.

But to Sasuke's Sharigan eyes he caught the way his fingers flexed against his orange book of decadent encounters.

"Did I hit a nerve sensei?" Sasuke drawled, leaning himself against the counter.

"And here I thought you were so obsessed with yourself that you wouldn't notice," Kakashi said equally relaxed, slouching in his chair, hand behind the back of his head, book in the other.

Sasuke mouth curled into a sneer.

"I'm not the dobe Kakashi. I see the way you look at her and the way she thinks she reciprocates your feelings.

"But she's wrong," Sasuke continued, checking for non-existent dirt under his nails. "You should have seen how eager she was to accept any little thing from me like a house on the Uchiha compound. You should have seen the way her eyes lit up with the hope that I could finally respond to her feelings. Kami, the way she gasped when she was beneath me. The way-"

Kakashi casually stood up to go check where Jenny was.

"Woo hoo, did I hit a nerve?" Sasuke crowed in a monotone.

Kakashi just gave an eye crinkle, placing his book in his pouch.

"While you think you are playing with her emotions, you are in fact delaying the inevitable: Sakura will end up with me," Kakashi said bluntly. "You lost your chance Uchiha and bitter isn't a good colour on you."

Kakashi strode out, not letting on to the last heir of the Uchiha clan, that he _had_ hit a nerve, that he _had_ cut through a chink in his armour.

That a little part of his heart chipped off at the thought of the pinkette's blind affections still for the Uchiha.

…o0o…

I thought that since we had time that I could brush my teeth while I collected my book.

Scrubbing my front teeth with the minty foam, I spat into the sink.

Rushing out of the bathroom, I collided with a bulky vest. I gasped and would have fallen on my butt if it wasn't for the steadying hand on my shoulder and the reassuring jet black eye and his masked face. I almost bit my tongue at the overwhelming sense of being, like my skin stretched properly over my skeleton for the first time. I tried to ignore it.

It seemed I couldn't even stay on my feet that day.

I shot him a grin. "Thanks, I was just coming by the way, we should probably get going."

Kakashi waved his hand in front of him to indicate for me to walk before him. I chuckled and walked to the front door where my new boots were.

Tying the laces I shouldered my pack with the help of Kakashi. Sasuke was curiously absent. When I asked after him, Kakashi's fingers twitched.

"He decided to go on ahead to the others to tell them we were coming."

I nodded.

We started walking and Kakashi began to read the orange book again. As we began to transverse the busy streets of a market he managed to weave through the crowd as well as if he had not been reading at all.

I followed in the wake of Kakashi's cuts through the crowd. When it finally quieted down again I turned to the grey haired man again.

"You _have _to teach me how to do that," I said awed.

Kakashi shot me an amused glance, "Do what exactly?"

"To read while walking of course."

Kakashi gave a rumbly chuckle. "Surely you don't want to begin a bad habit of ignoring people?"

I pished. "I doubt the ability to read while walking is going to mean I won't talk to people, I mean you manage to still to talk to me even though you are reading," I pointed out smiling up at him. "And I have to say it won't be too much of a loss."

Kakashi caught my blue eyed gaze with his blacker than black eye.

"And it won't be much of a loss because…?"

"Other humans are over rated," I sidestepped a lamp post, "There are hidden meanings in their language like they would be saying one thing, but mean another. Then there is the boring deadly dance of constantly having to find the 'other half', the constant back stabbing." I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "Sorry way to be depressing, but it's just easier to not deal with people all together."

I shot Kakashi a grin who returned it with the sight of his crow's feet.

"I think the reason you have lost faith in humanity is because you haven't been looking in the right places, the right corners for those right people. You have to look underneath the underneath," Kakashi said sagely.

"Oh?" I asked, spotting some gates at the end of the path where if I squinted I could see the slight pinkish hue of hair. "Could you give me an example?"

His index finger pointed at his chest, "I think I am a safe bet."

I snorted. "Of course you would say yourself, the bloody pervert and opportunist to take any girls' knickers."

"That is true. But I consider us friends." Kakashi gave a smile.

I raised my eyebrows. "In as little as three days?"

"Living together, I think, builds some trust to believe that the other won't kill you in your sleep." I raised my eyebrows further, "I don't believe we can be classified as mere acquaintances. Therefore we are friends." Kakashi shot me a classic grin.

"I'm sorry but did you say that the fact that I haven't tried to kill you in your sleep is the reason you consider us friends?" I asked, disbelief painting my tone.

"That is exactly what I am saying," Kakashi shot me another grin.

I sent my eyes heavenward, "I don't think I am going to win this argument, am I?"

Kakashi shook his head cheerfully, "You could try; that defeatist attitude doesn't suit you."

Luckily we were joined by Sakura, Sasuke and a blue eyed, blonde hair man.

"Jenny-chan!" the blonde enveloped me in a huge hug, "So glad you are okay! And I don't even mind you threw up on my orange shirt!"

I blushed and didn't know whether to return the hug or not but I was saved from having to make the choice by a pinkette thumping him over the head with her fist.

"NARUTO, YOU CAN'T JUST HUG SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW YOU!" she shrieked.

I winced and was tempted to cover my ears, instead I held my hand out to Naruto, who was clutching his head defensively.

"It's just Jenny. Hi," I smiled at Naruto who slowly lowered his hands and brought his to shake mine.

"You're really pretty," he said beaming.

"Oh, well," I blushed, releasing his hand. "Thanks."

"Another underneath of the underneath," Kakashi said lowly to me.

I sent him a glare and adjusted the pack on my back. I could look for people everywhere but it didn't matter how many places or corners Kakashi thought I needed to search, there weren't many people to trust.

"Come on then, let's get going." I said, "Sorry for being late by the way, _somebody_," I shot a glare at Kakashi, who continued to read his book, "Told me the wrong time."

"Nah doesn't matter, we're used to it," Naruto batted the apology away. "I hope he hasn't been a pervert to you, or I'll kick his ass!"

I found that extremely doubtful seeing as Kakashi seemed a man of many talents, one of which was paying attention when he was looking like he wasn't. I decided this morning catching me naked would fall under the 'kick his ass' category.

"Nah he's been okay,"

"Has he been reading that book in front of you?" Sakura cut in, shooting a meaningful glance at the orange book which was now in front of him.

"No?" I said slowly, unsure what the answer wouldn't get Kakashi in trouble.

Sakura scowled, shooting a glare at the grey haired man. "Kakashi you are meant to be entertaining her!"

Kakashi slowly looked up from his book and caught her gaze. There was a moment where energy crackled between them. I was feeling hot just by being caught in the neutral space where the sexual tension fizzed.

"Well she has been doing some light reading with some of my books and she has been fine with that," Kakashi drawled.

There was a stunned silence before everyone, not including Kakashi turned to look at me.

"You're a pervert too?" Naruto finally spoke.

Sakura raised a hand to hit Naruto but he, anticipating the move, darted behind me using me as a body shield.

I held my hands up instantly in surrender, worried that Sakura might still try to hit Naruto even though I was between them. "Whoa, innocent bystander."

I felt something being removed from my pouch and instantly made to grab at it but it was held aloft by Naruto, exposing the WARNING: CONTAINS EROTICA sticker on my book.

I face palmed, just wanting to just undergo cardiac arrest to escape this embarrassment.

"Pervert!" Naruto accused, pointing the book at me, a grin on his face.

I snatched it out of his hand, blushing.

"We should be meeting the clients in five clicks," Kakashi said, cutting off whatever I had been about to say. He turned his opaque eye to me. "Can you use chakra to keep up?"

"Uh I can glow in the dark?" I offered lamely.

Kakashi sighed and shook his head, hooking a hand through my elbow, he tugged me until I was right by his side. "I'll use a Teleportation Jutsu to the meeting place, everyone else run to catch up."

I panted sharply at the contact with Kakashi-

"…_wish you could have been there," someone whispered brokenly, "It was an awful exam, you would have aced it like usual." _

_I think I knew that voice. The beeping was still there. _

Securing me around the waist Kakashi made a lot of hand signals until the world was swirling and we had stopped.

_I kn-_

I flinched as we landed and I immediately went to the ground, retching. "Holy shit," I forced out between gags, "Don't _ever_ make me do that again."

Just being wrenched from whatever the hell that was, had worse effects than I cared. I stayed still, on all fours, just cursing my luck for being nauseous all the time. Jesus effing Christ.

After a few minutes of gagging, I pushed myself off my knees and stood up, wobbling slightly. I clapped a hand to my forehead, wishing the dizziness to subside.

After I finally opened my eyes and I saw, much to my dismay, I had a horrified audience, parents covering their children's ears, their mouths open.

I gave an awkward wave as if they hadn't just witness me try to throw up my organs.

"Hey."

The parents and children turned back to the wagons, resuming their places. However, in between the wagons every three or so, there was one wagon with covering, which none of the families went in.

I frowned, curious but brushed it off, knowing that it wasn't my place to sneak. I wasn't the ninja here.

I turned to Kakashi who was casually waiting by the tree.

"I really need to learn how not to throw up in front of you," I grumbled.

Kakashi gave another chuckle.

"Is this another skill that you wish for me to teach you?"

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah if possible."

Kakashi gave another throat chuckle.

I leaned against the tree beside him just taking in the bustle of the families continuing whatever they were doing before we came be it the children running around playing tag or the parents who talked in hushed whispers.

"Kakashi?" I asked.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you bring me along on this mission?"

I heard a sigh and from the corner of my eye I saw him lower his book to his side. He tilted his head until it rested on the trunk behind him, his eye gazing at the branches and rustling leaves above us.

"I thought your skills would be valuable," Kakashi finally said.

"Really," I said flatly.

"No, but that is the only explanation you are getting at this point of time." Kakashi turned his head to me and shot me a cheery grin.

I rolled my eyes but let it go. Kakashi returned to his book and pulling out my one I began to read. It was at the boring traveling stage where he was to defend the king but he loved the princess. Damn forbidden love, no wonder Kakashi said it had an overused plotline.

We had been waiting for ten minutes.

Fifteen.

Twenty.

There was a brush of wind and Kakashi, without looking up, called, "Yo."

"You bastard!" Naruto spat, dripping with mud.

I tried to tamp down my grin and giggle almost failing. Sakura and Sasuke didn't look much better. They all looked like disgruntled drowned cats.

"Excuse me," a nasal voice called out to us.

We all turned to see a man with round glasses nervously push them back up his face and twist his hands together.

"May we leave now after three hour delay?" anger entered this weasel-like man's voice.

I frowned.

"Yes. Sorry for the hold up, there was an endangered firefly colony in Konoha so we had a last minute mission to round up enough males and females to continue the species. It took longer than expected." He gave the man a grin.

Slowly I turned to Kakashi disbelieving my ears, praying that he didn't make up such a blatant lie to this man.

"There are no males and females in the firefly species," the man huffed angrily, folding his arms across his chest.

Kakashi looking nonplussed and closed his book and put it back in his pouch again. "That's why Konoha's species are so special. There are males and females." God, I don't think Kakashi could have sounded anymore condescending.

The weasel bristled and turned back around to walk to the wagons, "Fine, but let's go."

Unconcerned, Kakashi brought out his book at thumbed back to the correct page. I did the same and we began to walk.

The skill to walk and read was one where it seemed riddled with obstacles, what with me tripping up on small roots, stubbing my toes on the rocks that were embedded in the ground and on one occasion my head smacked into a low hanging branch.

I hissed, "Ah motherfucker!" I rubbed my forehead.

"Careful there are children, firefly," Kakashi actually lowered his book to inspect the damage. I scowled at the sticking nickname. "Let me see."

"Fuck the children, that hurt!" I said, reluctantly lowering my hands so Kakashi could analyse if I was going to live or not. I flinched as Kakashi's thumb brushed over the slow forming bruise. The pain enlarged with the contact. I was really starting to hate any touch with the grey haired man.

Kakashi gave me a happy smile before he concluded, "I think you'll live."

I tried to duck out of the way as he ruffled my hair good-naturedly. In retaliation I tried to reach his head but I had to embarrass myself by pushing myself to my tip toes, which amused Kakashi to no end.

"Stop moving," I said angrily, trying to lean further over to grab at least one of his silvery locks.

Kakashi didn't even have the decency to look up from his book as he casually evaded me and gave me a cheeky bop on my already raised bruise.

"Ow!" I complained, daintily rubbing it, as if that would make it feel better.

Kakashi just chuckled and turned another page of his book. I rolled my eyes. _Jackass._

I returned to my book where _finally_ there was some sex. As I walked beside Kakashi, my head buried the book, I began to weave drunkenly.

I could feel Kakashi slowly looking up from his book out of the corner of my eye but I was enraptured by the description of the assassin banging the princess. Of course, the book described it as 'making love' but in all honesty, I think that is what the delusional call the natural instinct to screw. It was too romantic.

Silly really.

It was only when I was about to collide with a nearby wagon that Kakashi caught my elbow and gently steered me back onto the path of walking in a straight line.

I looked up gratefully but quickly turned back to the story.

"I think we have a long way to go until you learn how to walk in a relatively straight line," Kakashi said, his head buried in his book, walking straight as an arrow.

I shot him a sideways look before turning back to my book before Kakashi brought me back out of it by grabbing my elbow again, not once looking out of his Icha Icha, and steered me back onto the correct path.

Although the correct path had a particularly large root that, coupled with the weight of my pack and my momentum and overall clumsiness, I tripped.

I scrunched my face waiting for the inevitable impact of my face with the ground. Instead all I felt was the world going into a kaleidoscope of colours and then I was sucked into black.

_Where was I? _

_I heard that infernal beeping again and I wished someone would just turn it off already. _

_There was the slight sound of sniffles and I was scared. I couldn't see anything. Where was I? _

"_Hey Pigeon," a deep gravelly voice. I knew that voice. What was that voice to me? Why was the name Pigeon so familiar? _

"_Mum is doing better, doctors say that the chemo is really helping," they took a shaky breath. "Although she said she wished you were there, you know be the team player like usual." _

_They gave a shaky laugh and paused. They sighed and I waited with baited breath. I felt a pressure around my fingers. Well I think it was my fingers but at this point I couldn't tell. _

_Pigeon? Mum? Is-_

The arms around my body cradled me into the resistant vest and the hardened flesh beneath that.

"Maybe we should take a break from the lesson," Kakashi's low voice vibrated in my ear and for one traitorous moment the vibrations sparked electricity which went low in my belly.

I huffed an indignant breath out, trying to cover my aroused state up. "Fine, maybe we should."

I wormed my way out of the circle made by his arms. "I was getting to the boring bit anyway."

Kakashi arched a brow high until it was almost in his hairline and folded his arms, his orange book hanging comically from one of his hands still. We had stopped and the train of wagons continued on beside us.

"Boring? I can assure you none of my books are boring," he said, indignance lightly shading his tone.

I shrugged and began to walk again, "I have to say any book where it has a passage dedicated to just saying how much he loves the girl and is like maybe I should just leave her is bad." I shook my head, "One it is sappy and two if you _truly_ love her then there shouldn't be that whole debate on whether you should leave her or not. You would _want_ to stay, it would be the only feasible option."

"But he is giving the princess the option to _not_ choose him, to not stay with him," Kakashi argued.

"But she gave her maidenhead to him, she said how she wasn't ever going to give that to _anyone_ except the guy she loved. He is planning on putting her on the throne anyway after he killed her father and she said she held contempt for all the noble men, therefore she considers him the only option too." I stretched my arms above my head, "He is just being a whiny little bitch because he is scared of trying something that might make him happy." I sighed, letting my arms flop to my sides, "That is the only thing I hate about romance novels, they always make something out of nothing. The man wasn't brave, he was a coward."

Kakashi was silent as we walked together. "Through all the cynical bones in your body, I think there is at least one bone, no matter how small, will have the urge to romance."

"Cynical," I said instantly, "Very cynical, no sign of romance anywhere."

He gave a rueful chuckle, "One day you will find your man and you will wonder how you were so negative to the romance genre."

I snorted, "It's not like I'm negative towards the idea of love, I think that is very real concept. It's just that I don't believe love is for me." I gave Kakashi a smile, "It used to be a certainty when I was younger sort of like being a princess was a certainty. A fable."

Kakashi rolled his eye. "I take it back, you don't have one romantic bone in your body. A complete Harpy."

I smirked, "Oh, you. You say the sweetest things."

Kakashi was silent for a while so I turned my attentions to the procession beside me and I looked at the people we were meant to be escorting and noticed things, it was small but they were things that concerned me anyway.

The people were nervously darting their eyes to us all the time but when I caught them they quickly went back to whatever they were doing. They would stare at the covered wagons fearfully but again when they would sneak a glance towards me and noticed me observing them, they would pale, turning their attentions further away.

Thinking that Kakashi would be okay on his own, I went to see Sakura.

She was walking beside Sasuke and I frowned. She was twirling her hair much alike the way I saw her doing when we were leaving the hospital with Kakashi.

Realisation on who Sasuke was, I thought back to what Ino said the day before. _So yeah, he loves her but for how long if she keeps going off with Sasuke… _

I scowled at the oblivious pinkette.

I thought some intervention would be in order.

Worming my way right in between them, I gave Sakura an innocent smile, but when her attention was turned away I glowered right at Sasuke's eyes.

I made shooing motion to Sasuke. "We need some girl time, grumpy, let the women have their moment."

Sasuke gave a Sakura a look as if to say _are you actually going to let her get rid of me?_

There was a tension and it was different between Sasuke and Sakura, than between Kakashi and Sakura. It was thicker… more like the tension had been… satisfied and left wanting.

Sakura also made a shooing motion to him, a small smile on her face, lighting up her green eyes.

Sasuke snorted and walked to the other side of the train of wagons to talk with Naruto.

Sakura turned to me with a smile on her face. "So what's up?"

I leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I don't know about you but aren't you finding these people really skittish?"

Sakura waved away my worry with a hand.

"Don't worry, that's why we were called especially, we are here to protect them. They'll lose their nervousness by this time tomorrow, you'll see." Her expression darkened, "Although it would have probably been gone by now if Kakashi hadn't turned up later than usual."

My brow furrowed at the critical way she was talking about Kakashi.

"It wasn't his fault, we fell asleep reading on the sofa, he probably had an alarm in his room which we couldn't hear." I said defensively.

Sakura shot me a pitying look, one that I instantly hated. "You don't know him like I do," I bristled at the jab, "He always turns up late."

"If you knew him like you thought, you would know that your continued relationship with Sasuke hurts him." I shot back, wanting to one up her slightly.

Sakura leaned back at the force of my reply, shock making her eyes wide.

"He said he was fine and understood the need to continue my relationship with Sasuke, we had to keep the team together." Confusion lit up her face. I looked at her in disbelief.

Sakura then thought about it for a moment, sadness picking up on her face. "But you have to realise something: Sasuke is changing."

I nodded slowly, unsure of where she was taking this.

"Well, the other night, you know the one where you arrived and me and Kakashi had that fight?" I nodded again dreading the answer, praying she wasn't going to tell me how that tension between her and Sasuke was 'satisfied'.

"Well, Sasuke actually _comforted_ me," she gushed in a whisper, "he actually _held_ me until I calmed down. Not his usual awkward pats."

"Did anything else happen?" I asked.

She hesitated before saying "No."

Internally I flinched thinking the worst. Outwardly I nodded and pretended to be relieved. "Oh okay, that's good."

Maybe I was being a bit harsh. I mean I owed nothing to Kakashi other than he let me stay in his flat, borrow his clothes and books. Other than be really nice to me at every turn.

Okay so I owed a little bit to Kakashi but that didn't mean I had a right to meddle in his life. I nodded to myself. I decided I wouldn't interfere unless he asked it of me.

That resolved I turned back to Sakura. "How much longer do you think we will travel for?"

Sakura looked to the sky. "Well it's almost dusk now; most civilians prefer to travel when they can see so probably in about half an hour? Maybe less."

I nodded and continued to walk in silence.

"So how is living with Kakashi?" Saukra asked, readjusting her pack on her shoulders.

I shrugged, "Oh you know, we just read which is nice."

Sakura frowned, "Doesn't it get a bit boring?"

I laughed, "Well I am like I am old woman. I just like peace and quiet with the occasional bender."

Sakura sent me a mock scolding look, "Getting drunk on your own is no fun," she sent me a sly look, "So I suggest I join in."

I almost stumbled I was so surprised. For someone who couldn't buy a nice bra and bought for herself some granny knickers the size of America, I wouldn't assume she would like something as bad for your health as binge drinking.

"What?" I garbled.

"Yeah, we should go out drinking when we get back to celebrate our first mission together," she clapped her hands delightedly. "Then drink to our future missions."

I squirmed, "I don't exactly want to go on future missions."

Sakura narrowed her eyes, "Why not?"

I coughed and rubbed the back of my neck, "Well it's not like I have any qualifications and frankly I do not enjoy this."

I raised a foot which was caked in mud and the few cuts and scrapes heading up my legs meaningfully.

"And you think we do?" Sakura asked angrily, fisting her hands on her hips.

"Well there is a reason you trained for it," I narrowed my eyes slightly, "I don't know how to do this! The only thing I can do is customer service!"

"Well you could always work at Ino's?" Sakura offered, losing her aggressive stance.

"That's true, although I don't actually know what her store is," I scuffed my foot along the gritty dirt.

"Well her parents own the flower shop next door but Ino owns the café next to that for those wanting to have a sit down after having a browse of the flowers."

I hummed noncommittally. That sounded okay. I mean I would have to start saving up so I could let Kakashi have his space back, maybe so Sakura would come round more often.

I turned my attention to the wagons at our side.

"Why are we escorting them again? This doesn't look like there would be any bandits in this place. It's too tidy." I observed.

Sakura looked around too, frowning. "That is true." She shrugged. "Well whatever makes the citizens feel safer. In any case we get money for these missions and since the pay is low I doubt we'll run into too much trouble."

She shot me a wink just as Kakashi called for camp to be made. I heard many civilians sigh in relief and chattered amongst themselves, all saying how tired and hungry they were.

I was walking past a couple of wagons to put my bag by the camp fire Sakura was at when I heard them. A grunting, a moaning from one of the covered carts. Discreetly I checked around me for observers, I lifted the corner of the dirt covered canvas. Seeing what was inside made me recoil instantly, bile rising in my throat.

Mutilated animals, all of them.

They reminded me of those mice with human ears on their back but more gruesome, with them being fused with other animals but worse. It was like they didn't fit properly, like oddly shaped jigsaw pieces shoved together.

I stumbled to the camp fire where I was Sakura last and dumped my bag by the camp fire. I couldn't remember anything of the manga so I didn't know if those animals were the norm or if they were just as messed up as I thought they were.

I let my head fall into my hands. Did I bring it up with Sakura? Kakashi? I shook my head. I thought it was better to concentrate on not throwing up at that point. I closed my eyes before pushing myself up to find some people to distract me.

It was then that I saw two men talking loudly, not angrily, I saw one face was blanched in fear while the other was confident. I ducked behind a wagon, listening.

"…They definitely said that _he_ would leave us alone as long as we got Team Seven." One person said.

"What about the cargo?" _Cargo? Did they mean those poor animals?_

"Said he would pick it up when we actually reached our destination but right now all we need to care about is walking slow enough that they have time to set up."

"Well with how late they were at arriving, I think it won't be much longer."

I quickly turned to walk back the way I had come to go warn Kakashi when I hand clamped over my mouth.

I still tried to scream. A hand pinched over my nose so I couldn't breathe. I squirmed faster, desperate to oxygenate my lungs.

"Quiet now little lady, I don't wanta hurt ya," a male voice said behind me. "Come easy now and we won't hurt all these innocent fillies and boys. That's it, nice and slowly. Go to sleep."

I couldn't help but follow my instructions as I slipped into the blackness.

…o0o…

"Kakashi!" Sakura called, waving him over to sit by her.

He smiled and went to abandon his bag next to hers. He looked around.

"Where's Jenny?" he asked.

Sakura looked around and her eyebrows raised. "Well she was here earlier," she frowned spotting Jenny's bag on the floor beside hers. "Her bag's here so she's probably still around. She probably went to bathe without telling anyone."

Now Kakashi frowned. "Sakura you have to remember she might be ninja, did you ever think to keep an eye on her?"

Sakura looked to her feet. "I'm sorry."

"We just need to find her. Now." Kakashi got to his feet, eye already scanning the camp, seeing no bright blue flash of hair he went to search for his other team mates.

He found Naruto and Sasuke sparring by another camp fire. "Jenny is missing."

They immediately froze and turned to the grey haired man.

"Well we need to find her," Naruto's eyes blazed a bright blue.

"No shit dobe." Sasuke offered helpfully.

Naruto fisted his hands and glared, "Shut up teme!"

"Focus," Kakashi ordered, "we need to find her, she could be contacting enemy nin right now."

They nodded. "Sasuke search north and east. Sakura north and west. Naruto you stay here and guard the convoy. I'll search west, south and east direction.

"Meet back here in an hour. Now go."

With a solemn nod, they all dispersed. Kakashi sprinted in his direction.

He would never have guessed it was him until he accidently collided with one of the hooded caravans in which what made his blood go cold.

Mutations all of them. Sheep, cows, pigs. All mutated with another's quality like the cows had the manes of lions. This all resembled the early stages of…

"Orochimaru." Kakashi breathed in horror. But it couldn't be, he was dead.

Then he thought of the girl who could glow in the dark, the girl with the bright blue hair.

"Kami help us," he breathed and he sprinted with a new vigour, stretching his mind for any feel of her chakra signal as he searched for the leader of the convoy.

…o0o…

I awoke with a groan and for once I wasn't feeling nauseous, I just felt headachy and wished sorely for my bed.

Instead I was strapped to a chair that was uncannily like a dentist's alongside with a tray filled with different devices and with a slight hitch in my breathing I saw some pliers and a gleaming knife.

I wriggled a little just to make sure that I was tied down properly, before the door opened with a _clang!_

I froze. I tried to read the person's face but with a black mask it was hard to see their face.

Fear chipped my joints until they were so stiff from tension, my skin was alive with goose bumps as my adrenaline throbbed through every cell of my body. I was terrified.

"You are interesting my child," the voice was distinctly low so I could tell it was a man's.

I squirmed at the tone. "Really? I don't think so," I flexed my fingers, my voice getting higher with hysteria. "I am quite boring really, I mean I dyed my hair for God's sake to make myself seem interesting. Really, I am a very boring, a very lame person."

The black mask tilted to the side, "Who's God?"

I rolled my eyes. Why me? And why out of all my babble did he get who's God out of it? Honestly.

"Well no matter," the man continued, trailing a chilling finger down the flesh of my earlobe. I shivered in fright.

"You imagine my surprise when I hear of a girl, a girl who fell from the sky in a ball of light, made a crater as wide as the Hokage tower is tall." The man prowled around my chair, a hunter with his prey in his sights. "A girl with hair as blue as copper sulphide and a skin that _glows in the dark_. A girl who was able to maintain chakra constantly on the surface of her skin.

"Well, I said to myself, she would be an interesting addition to the collection of my old master," his finger now pressed itself over my collarbone and was going closer to my heaving chest. I bite my lip to try and keep my sob in. "See my old master loved interesting abilities, he had a woman who was able to control snakes at one point too.

"But I was rewarded greatly when I found that you were travelling with the famous Team Seven, the Kyuubi vessel, the last Uchiha, the Copy Nin and then finally the Hokage's apprentice herself. Truly, thank you." He smiled as his finger hooked on the hem of my t-shirt, pulling it slowly down. He breathed heavily. "I cannot believe a ninja would have such flawless soft skin."

I tried to see if some bravado would make some head way, at least until Kakashi came and found me. Well, I hoped.

"Just going to save you the effort now," I flinched hearing my voice waver, "I don't know how to control this-this _thing!_ I don't know how it works, _I don't know why I am here_."

There was a pause, the hunter was behind the startled deer, his finger abandoning its hold on my t-shirt. I breathed easier.

"Oh, well that's a shame," the man purred, I felt a trickle of sweat going down the small of my back in fear, "But we can always do some tests and see what happens."

My breathing quickened and I could feel the blood in my ears thrumming in a desperation for me to get out of there.

Without a warning, the man swiped the knife from the neighbouring table and sliced it across my left arm. I screamed in surprise and pain.

With a slight glance down to check where it was, what I noticed made my body still even though the agony kept killing my sensory neurones.

The cut was exactly where one of my old ones from the car accident were. I shuddered as I knew I had more than ten on just that arm alone.

I sobbed, my chest clenching as it knew that it would get stabbed eventually.

One part of my conscious kept trying to convince the less sane that maybe it was just a random cut that looked exactly like the ones before.

I struggled anew, knowing that I would have more cuts. The pain was slowly ebbing and I watched in awe along with my captor as we watched my skin knit together again slowly but surely until it looked like it never happened apart from the red-purple scar.

"Facinating," the man breathed, leaning in close until his lips almost brushed my tingling skin.

"Next one?" the sadist brought up the bloody knife again and tapped it against where his lips would be if the mask didn't hide his face. "What about something a little bit more internal?"

I shook my head frantically, "No please!"

Raising the knife above his head, some of my blood dripping in slow motion onto the floor with a slight spat, his eyes glittered dangerously.

Everything was happening too slowly. It was like my ears were muffled; I couldn't hear anything. My eyes couldn't seem to comprehend what he was doing until the knife pierced my chest with a thunk and splurt as my blood came pouring out.

I choked unable to breathe as one of my lungs filled up with blood, slowly drowning me.

I coughed and some blood dripped out of the corner of my mouth. The captor, the sick, messed up man raised the base of his mask so his lips were exposed.

They looked so normal, so like any man's that you wouldn't have thought that he was so twisted. The mouth came closer and closer until his lips stroked my cheek, a poor imitation of a lover's caress.

I strained away but I felt myself becoming weak as, miraculously, I felt my skin healing together, my lungs expelling the blood by forcing me to vomit. The metallic taste of my blood surrounded the entire cavern of my mouth.

I grimaced at the grossness before catching the gleam in the plain grey eyes before he leaned in and licked the trail of blood from the corner of my mouth, slowly sucking my skin.

"Please," I weakly leaned away, disgusted. It was like every healing took energy from me. "Please stop."

The man pulled away to give me a bare grin with his lips, his teeth actually white and straight.

"Oh, but I am just beginning," he hummed, sliding the knife hard against my opposite wrist, a hot knife through butter. He clamped a hand over my mouth containing my screams. "Shhh, I want your voice still perfect when we escalate the tests later."

A lone tear leaked out of the corner of my eye as I had to relive the pain of the car accident all over again except drawn out and without a death at the end.

Well at this point, I wished for it.

…o0o…

Kakashi slammed the weasel man against the caravan, Naruto snarling softly next to him. The weasel man scrabbled at his throat trying futilely to claw away the Kakashi's unbreakable grip.

"Where is he?" Kakashi asked lowly, outwardly looking like he was calm, bored at a stretch but to Naruto he saw the way that Kakashi's shoulders tensed and it wasn't from holding the thin man a metre off the ground.

"Who? I don't know what you are talking about," the man wheezed, his face purpling.

Kakashi lowered him to relieve the man's airways before slamming him hard into the ground.

The weasel gave a cry of pain.

"Where. Is. Orochimaru?" Kakashi spoke slowly, a dangerous glint highlighting the grey flints in his otherwise black eye.

"I don't know who that is!" the weasel cried, his eyes frantic as they darted to look anywhere but at Kakashi.

"Then where is Jenny?" Naruto asked from his side.

"Who's Jenny?" Hysterical, he gave another panicky cry as Kakashi unconsciously tightened his hold on his throat, "All we had to do was distract you long enough so he could grab the blue haired girl!"

"He?" Kakashi caught onto the slip, "Who's he?"

"The man with no name, the man with no face, no one knows who he is!"

Kakashi paused, leaning back slightly to give the man some air while he thought. So Jenny wasn't a spy, she was a victim in this and also it looked like Orochimaru's work. But Kakashi wasn't surprised; it wouldn't be the first time someone would appear dead and then turn out alive.

Shaking his head he turned to the petrified man below him, the one that lost his glasses a long time ago.

"Why did you have to distract us?"

"To get-" the weasel began.

"Yes, so he could kidnap the blue haired girl, but I mean," Kakashi applied pressure to the airways again, "Are you accomplices? Employees? Is he blackmailing you? Bribing?" Kakashi was losing patience.

"Blackmail," this was not said by the man below him but by a woman who had stood by and watched as this man below him had been manhandled. "Our village is constantly under threat from him, sending in new terrors. We offer our livestock so that he leaves the village alone for two maybe three months at a stretch. This is the first time he has he has demanded for something other than animals."

"Do you have a general idea where he lives?" Kakashi asked.

She hesitated. "We think it's Blackwell Mountains."

"Why there?" Naruto blurted out next to Kakashi.

The woman turned to the Kyuubi vessel, a slight look of contempt on her face.

"There are howls, cries for the past year," the man underneath wheezed, "Right after when demands for livestock were demanded."

Kakashi pushed himself to his feet scanning the treeline hoping Sakura would come back soon, and (he would deny this if ever questioned) Sasuke especially.

"How many miles?" Kakashi turned to the woman, allowing the man underneath him start to pick up the pieces of his ego which had been so rudely broken by his pushing.

"It's about two day walk without the wagons," she replied.

Kakashi pulled the map out of his pocket trying to locate the mountains, the woman leaned over his shoulder and pointed with a dainty, clean fingernail.

Kakashi paused. Famers and civilians didn't have clean nails, most had chipped and sometimes broken. Whipping out his kunai, he already found one held at his throat.

They were surrounded. He could sense who were the civilians and who were the ninja, the civilians huddled towards the carts and the ninja, huddled towards Naruto and Kakashi, crowding them.

"You might as well give up," the woman sneered into his face. "It's a ten to one odds."

Kakashi acquiesced by dropping his kunai with a thud. The woman gave him a smirk and the relaxing of the elbow on her part, thinking the threat was stabilised.

She was wrong.

The lowering of her guard allowed Kakashi to slam his left palm into the weak joint of her elbow while the other smacked the forearm causing it to break in a sickening snick.

She gave a howl of pain and tried a punch with her working arm, which Kakashi casually side stepped, ducking instinctively as he heard the betraying whistle of a kunai being thrown, which buried itself in the wooden cart behind him.

Using his momentum, he slid a leg out to send a crippling kick to the woman's knee sending her to her hand before he raised his knuckles to crash into her temple, knocking her out.

Kakashi barely had time to recover before he stomached a kick which, much to the surprise of the owner of the leg, he grabbed the ankle and dragged the enemy nin forward into the one eyed man's awaiting fist.

Loading chakra into his hand, he pivoted and swung the limp body into five charging ninja. Knocking them all down save one, who leaped to run alongside a nearby caravan, sebon clutched in his fists, almost resembling spikey claws.

With a wide arc, the ninja brought one metal laden fist, causing Kakashi to spring into the air to avoid being turned into a pin cushion.

The enemy ninja, landed where Kakashi was previously and looked up in time to see Kakashi's booted foot slam into his nose, breaking it, his eyes to blurring.

Using the enemy nin's face as a launching pad, Kakashi leaped into the fray where his ex-student was attacking remarkably well. Sliding a knife between the ribs of one more ninja, propelling himself to the next enemy, barely bending backwards in time as a kunai darted in front of his face, where his face was beforehand.

Sending a cheeky wink to the ninja who just threw the piece of metal, the last thing he saw was a red eye swirling and he fell to the ground sleeping.

The fight, taking no more than a few minutes, both him and Naruto were surrounded with either groaning or bleeding bodies.

"We need to find Sakura and the teme," Naruto said, barely out of breath.

Kakashi nodded, retrieved his pack and Sakura's and Naruto hauled Sasuke's in addition to his own on his back.

They were about to run into the forest when one of the cowering civilians rushed up to him.

"Wait!" they called, "How are we going to get to the next village without an escort, he will know that you beat his nin!"

Kakashi rolled an eye down at the man.

"You aided in the kidnap of one of Konoha's citizens, at this point in time you aren't the priority. I can safely assume that they won't come looking for you in more than a day and a half. We'll be back by then."

Just then Naruto and Kakashi heard a rustle in the bushes and immediately crouched in a defensive stance.

Then out of the woods came a giggling Sakura and a serious Sasuke. Sasuke's arm around her shoulder.

Kakashi felt the blow to his lungs, his breath coming out pained but was hidden by the mask. The cavity where his heart used to lie now allowed the blood to fill it, the muscle no longer working to pump the blood around the body as the owner seemed to not have the drive to continue such an inane task. Looking down at his feet, he chucked Sakura's bag at their stunned feet.

"Jenny has been kidnapped," Kakashi said, his voice bearing no inflection, nothing to tell a Sakura how he felt about her holding Sasuke's hand. "We need to go to the Blackwell Mountains. Now."

Without a word more, he turned and began in the direction of the mountains, to the cynical blue haired girl.

Naruto shook his head and threw Sasuke's pack with an equal amount of force to the ground beside Sakura's.

Sakura looked up with tears in her eyes, searching Naruto's gaze for, well she didn't know.

"That was cruel Sakura, even for you." Saying nothing more, he jogged up to catch up with the Copy Nin.

Wordlessly, Naruto laid a hand on Kakashi's arm. "I'm sorry."

Kakashi turned to him and gave him such an eye crinkle that it must have hurt. "Sorry about what?"

Naruto stared unreadably for a moment before speaking.

"I may not be as smart as Sasuke but I still would notice if my teammates started hanging around more often, shooting those lovesick eyes at each other," Naruto teased lightly.

Kakashi rolled his eyes heavenward, but gave an accepting pat to the hand on his forearm. "I am but an old man, it was silly thought." Turning to judge the trajectory of the rising moon, he popped a soldier pill into his mouth and pivoted to see Sakura and Sasuke catching up but slowly. "Come on love birds, we need to make good time."

It pained him to retract until he was in the friend zone again for Sakura and she looked hurt that he seemed not to care.

_She has nothing to feel hurt about. She chose who she wanted. _

_And it just so happened that it wasn't me._

Resolved to focusing on saving his roommate, he began to spring through the trees as lithe as a hare, ducking and swaying to avoid the branches.

_Hold on firefly, we're coming_.

..o0o…

_So I am in black… but where am I? _

_There was that beeping still and it was consistent, steady ever being like a boxer's gloves against a bag, like the wind whistling its winding way through the trees… like a heartbeat. _

_The sobbing was gone which was a relief. Always hated crying. It was awkward and emotional. A piece of the soul which could only be expressed through emotions._

_Whoa, when did I get so poetic? Must be because I have _way_ too much free time on my hands. _

_There was also a steady whirring noise, something that was always too faint for me to catch, even when I touched Kakashi. _

_That was another clue: whenever I touched Kakashi sometimes, I was sent here. _

_I tried to frown but it was like I didn't know how to make that expression any longer. _

_It wasn't actually all the time that I fell here, but all of the times, I am sent here whenever I was touching him. My body felt like it was here even if my vision and hearing was with him. _

_Oh well, as long I wasn't back in the torture chamber. _

_I could feel my body wishing to tremble but couldn't. I sighed internally. This was going to grow old pretty soon. _

_I wonder if Kakashi would even come. He owed me nothing, in fact all the owing was on my side for him. _

_Still, I hope he does._

…o0o…

Kakashi was covered in the blood of most of the guards, some pent up frustration meant that he could freely take it out on these people without yelling to the high heavens how angry and hurt he was with Sakura.

"Kakashi, I think we need to talk," Sakura panted beside him, as they were running down the hallway.

Sasuke and Naruto were exploring the other wing while he and Sakura were searching this one.

Movement caught the corner of his eye and using the wall he propelled himself until his boot neatly clipped the man's temple followed by another crash from his fist to ensure his unconsciousness.

Kakashi landed, never breaking a stride and never looking at the pink haired woman. "I don't think this is the time for the talk," he said, slipping some sebon down his sleeves to be snatched in between his knuckles readily. "I just hope you use protection."

"Kakashi!" Sakura cried horrified and lost her composure, lost her alertness and it was only because Kakashi slid under Sakura's slender arm and pushed up to puncture the ninja's lungs did Kakashi swivel.

"This is not the time, Sakura!" Kakashi hissed, his black eye flashing. "We have an innocent girl probably dying at Orochimaru's hand or some kind of copycat and you want to discuss your love life with the bastard?"

Sakura's mouth dropped open a bit and grappled to say something. Kakashi didn't give her the chance and was sprinting off down another hallway, kicking open doors, scanning them and rushing onwards.

"So the truth finally comes out: you don't like me with Sasuke." Sakura puffed next to him.

"Well what did you expect Sakura?" Kakashi snarled, "you thought I would be happy that all the time you were saying that you were getting over him and falling a little more in love with me, you were probably fucking him behind my back."

"It wasn't fucking," Sakura coupled her own growl with a chakra powered kick to the chest of a nin who powered out of a nearby room, collapsing his chest. "It was making love."

"So you were?" Kakashi asked, disbelieving what he was even hearing. He gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I can't believe Jenny was right."

He grunted as he cracked his knuckles against another faceless ninja.

"What has she got to do with anything?" Sakura cried, a little jealousy sneaking through her tone.

"She just said something very true is all," Kakashi said, cracking open the last door and froze seeing a familiar bloody body, strapped to a chair.

Racing in, he started slicing the straps off, he felt her forehead and it wasn't feeling feverish. Reassured he continued to saw through the thick straps.

"Beauty we have-" the man who came in stopped speaking and froze seeing Kakashi by Jenny.

If anyone could see under Kakashi's mask they would see his mouth curling into a baring of teeth.

The man ran and before Kakashi knew it he was tackling the man to the ground, flipping him over punching him one after the other in his face, using chakra only to protect his sore knuckles.

There was something tugging at his arm and it was only when he felt a punch glowing green, knocked him off the captive did he stop his onslaught on the descipable man beneath him.

Sakura looked down on him her chest heaving. "We need to take him in for questioning, not beat him to death."

Kakashi huffed pushing himself to his feet, Sakura tried to come towards him her hands glowing green with chakra all ready to heal the injury inflicted by her.

Too bad, she couldn't heal the soreness of rejection.

Kakashi batted her hands away. "I'm fine. Pick him up and come with me."

"As a med-nin-" Sakura began outraged.

"And as your captain and ex-sensei, do as I say." Kakashi stared down at her, his eye flinty.

Sakura flinched back a step and with a wounded face she bent to pick the body of the bloody man up.

Kakashi strode back into the room which stank of blood and tears. Combing back some bloody strands from Jenny's forehead, he inspected for head damage.

After placing the man's body on the ground, Sakura's hands were illuminated and she hesitated before proceeding forward after one check to see if Kakashi was still okay with her healing Jenny.

After a brief nod, she pressed her hands against Jenny's skin and she leaped back with a yelp.

"Sakura?" Kakashi stood, almost reaching for her before placing his hands back at his side. "Are you okay?"

Sakura hunched over her hands cradling them, "I don't know. It was like she shocked me."

Kakashi frowned and looked to his hands still straightening Jenny's knotted locks. "Maybe the chakra blocks your chakra creating some kind of electric charge?"

Sakura's brow furrowed, "But what about healing her?"

Kakashi shook his head before she finished speaking. "We just have to hope that she'll be okay for the time being as we move her, our first priority is getting out with all our team with enough chakra for another possible battle with that guy's," he pointed at the prone body at her feet, "Minions."

Kakashi gently pulled Jenny's body onto his shoulder, nodding to his partner, they rushed out of the compound.

…o0o…

I awoke lying on grass. I sat upright, my eyes darting around, searching for danger.

"Yo," a touch on my ripped shoulder, my senses went onto overload, I couldn't compute with all the colours flooding through my vision. I was breathing deeply, trying to oxygenate my dizzy head.

"Don't touch me!" I cried, scooting backwards on my hands, my eyes traitorously flooding with tears and my chest tightened with tension.

I couldn't decide if it was relief that he was here, pain that I had my wounds again, disgust at my body, grief for the reminder of my sister. It didn't matter, I just couldn't in function my mouth to form a sentence, it was too busy open in a silent animal cry.

Finally, a moan came out.

I sobbed quietly, crossing my arms over my chest, cupping my elbows, my shoulders shuddering from the force of my weeps, resting my back against a rough surface. A tree, from what I could gather in my damaged state.

This continued for minutes, hours, centuries. I couldn't tell. Just the thought of trusting another human with my voice, my skin, my attention… I shuddered. I just couldn't stand it.

I hiccupped and it was only when my breath was slowing down that I heard Kakashi was whispering lowly comforting words at least five metres away from me, no sign of possible contact. "Shhh, it will be okay. It is okay. We are here. I am here. Shh, you are fine. You are safe. _You are safe_."

Finally, my tears ebbed and rubbing my tears away, I sent him a watery smile. "You came. I hoped you would."

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, falling back from his crouch on the balls of his feet until he was sat on the ground opposite me. He sat at least a metre away, his hands loosely connected between his knees, his elbows hooked over the knee caps.

We probably looked like a pair: me curled up in a ball resting against the tree trunk and Kakashi in the open, waiting for me.

"Well I had to collect another female for the endangered firefly colony in Konoha," he said a grin, sliding up to his eye.

I chuckled weakly, swiping my probably blotchy face one last time before I crawled over to him and curled up in the rough circle made by his legs and I hugged him around his waist.

I tried to nuzzle into the touch, my emotions were slightly more bearable so I could stomach touching him but was blocked by a particularly bulky and annoying vest.

"Do you mind if you unzip this please?" I asked in a small voice, my finger flicking the zip, not once looking up into his face. I knew if I looked into his face, all I would see is disgust, disgust at my new body, no longer flawless. No longer smooth. No longer a normal.

Kakashi didn't answer, instead his capable fingers opened his vest with obnoxious _ziiiippppp_.

Parting it slightly, I pushed my hands under so I could feel his touch, feel the realness of a good person, of a friend.

I linked my hands on the small of his back and pressed my face into the less abrading fabric of his shirt. Kakashi didn't move his hands from his sides.

"Do," I hesitated, I pulled my face away from his chest to look slightly up at him. His face was unreadable. "Do you mind holding me?"

Wordlessly, Kakashi cupped the back of my neck, guiding me towards his chest again, his other sliding to hold my waist. And he held me.

I sighed in relief, the ease of pressure in my chest almost made me cry again. I subtly scrubbed my cheek back and forth against the soft fabric and felt the heat of his skin through that barrier. I scented the soothing smell of his spearmint and tea tree, a mixture of sharp and sweet.

"How could I ever begin to thank you?" I asked softly. "Please tell me how I can start my eternal servitude." I tried to finish with a light joke but it came out flat.

Kakashi silently, stroked my hair back from my forehead comfortingly. "Well, being the entrepreneur that I am," Kakashi lowered his voice to my ear, his breath hot on my skin, "I could do with some of your knickers."

The laugh was wrenched out my chest unwillingly but it was so sudden I couldn't help but laugh and rub my face a little harder into his chest, sinking into the feeling of his voice rumbling through his shirt onto my skin.

"God you are such a dick," I chuckled weakly again.

The stroking paused for a moment.

"Who is this God you keep mentioning?"

I laughed again and tightened my hold. "I missed this."

"You were only away for a few hours."

I looked up at him, just taking in everything about him from the way the silvery hair rivalled that of the moon, from the way that eye was so expressive yet hidden. Everything.

Kakashi cupped the back of my neck again guiding me back to his chest giving calming rubs on the small of my back.

"You were right by the way," Kakashi said suddenly.

I tilted my head back to see his chin, "Yeah? How's that?"

"Girls _are_ bitches," he said firmly, tightening his hold on my body.

I sniggered resting my forehead on his chest again, "That we are my friend, that we are."

Kakashi slowly reclined so as not to startle me and lay on his back, with me tucked in his side.

I yawned a jaw breaking yawn.

"Go to sleep firefly, dawn is coming."

His voice lulled me in, I couldn't even find it in me to complain about the nickname. I tried to protest that I wasn't tired but it was kind of ruined when I stuttered through my argument because of several yawns.

"The best medicine out there is sleep," Kakashi whispered wisely, stroking my hair still.

Kakashi chuckled and I burrowed my head on his shoulder trying to find the best position before, in my sleep deprived mind thought it would be a good idea to rest on his chest.

Kakashi paused in his strokes, allowing me to settle before beginning again.

Nestling into his warmth, I finally drifted off into the first comfortable sleep in twenty four hours.

…o0o…

There was a pause in the rustle of the trees and Kakashi was feeling light, like his entire body was filled with helium. Like his body was trying to rise to the sky. It was so very odd.

It was like his mental consciousness got more blurry too. It was disorientating to say the least.

The copy cat's minions didn't even turn up in the end and they continued on their own to the other village comfortable, meaning that Team Seven could begin its journey back.

It hadn't exactly been awkward per se between the team, more like there had a line drawn and each side was wary to cross it.

Sasuke appeared oblivious and so probably came the closest to actually cross the line never mind intentionally. Next came Naruto who would be talking with his teme before he would suddenly cut off with a large scowl which he shot between Sasuke and Sakura, he was the next who came close to crossing the line.

Sakura seemed very aware of the line drawn and was distraught and tried to begin many conversations with all the teammates save one grey haired man. However, Sasuke being the antisocial bastard he was, he generally ignored any attempt made by the woman and Naruto being angry with Sakura meant that he tended to respond with monosyllabic answers.

That left Kakashi. Kakashi silently expressed his desire not to talk with her about her and Sasuke, then Sakura was too embarrassed to even consider making the first move no matter how much she wanted to.

Kakashi lolled his head to the side and spied on Sakura's body lit with the fire's light and saw how stiff her body was and knew she was awake. Kakashi sighed.

"We might as well get this over with now, so it doesn't interrupt training," Kakashi said tiredly, his eye drooping further down.

Sakura instantly rolled over and as she caught sight of Jenny who was still nestled in the crook of his shoulder, her hand pale against the black fabric.

"Why did you ask for her knickers?" Sakura hissed angrily, her eyes flaring into a cat's green.

Kakashi sighed and looked to the sky for support. "It is a joke between me and her."

"Doesn't mean it's appropriate, especially after," she lowered her voice, "especially after saying you loved me."

"You know what else isn't appropriate? Fucking behind my back," Kakashi said blandly

"It was making love!" Sakura bristled, sitting up. "And it wasn't like you were there for me."

Kakashi seemed not to react other than continuing to stroke Jenny's hair.

"I only did it to make you jealous," Sakura whispered, her fingernail digging into the soft ground, avoiding his steady gaze.

"That was poor tactics on your part," he said lowly, his pinkie getting caught in a messy knot just behind Jenny's ear. "Your actions were the ones of a petty child."

"Well how can I not be jealous?" Sakura almost spoke before lowering her voice again. "I saw the way you were with her earlier, the way you guys were flirting, you lent her one of your books which is a as rare as a blue moon and you almost had sex!"

"There was no 'almost' about it," Kakashi rumbled quietly. "'Almost' means that I would've contemplated it but in reality it wasn't even an option because I believe in being at least a little loyalty is required when you are 'going slow'."

He didn't need the Sharigan to see that Sakura was blushing. His eye wandered back up to the large dome that he could see lighting up with the dawn light.

The lightheaded feeling was increasing from prolonged contact with the blue haired girl curled up by his side and for a moment he closed his eyes-

_Martin awoke with a start, shaking his head, he turned to the side and saw his girlfriend Saskia continued to be curled up on the corner of the bed. _

_With a huff of frustration at having this same recurring dream he went into his ensuite, reaching over the sink he wetted his hands to rub tiredly over his face. _

_He looked up at the mirror to see something he always hated: the shrapnel scars decorating his chin and one that scored across just left to the middle of his mouth and the one bisecting his left eye cleanly. But the worst was the sight of that cloudy eye, the tell-tale sign that he was blind. _

_He saw the way his pink haired girlfriend flinched every time she saw it and she was a nurse as well, someone used to seeing indescribable injuries. It hurt. _

_He fisted a hand in his grey locks. Another thing he hated. The year tour took its toll on his stress levels. Thirty four and already looking as old as Gramps. _

_He sighed again. Why was I having these dreams? _

_I haven't read the Naruto manga in years, so why was I suddenly having vivid ones and who was the blue haired girl? Martin couldn't remember her ever being there and why was it that he depicted himself as Kakashi? _

_If he was completely honest with himself, it wasn't like his dream scape made a whole lot of sense. For example, the blue haired girl said God most of the time yet when he was Kakashi, it was like he couldn't remember the colloquial language of today. _

_Martin wetted his hands and rubbed his face again. Cupping the back of his neck with his hands he tilted his head back to look up at the ceiling where the fluorescent light blinked unevenly. _

_His therapist would tell him to write everything down, a way to deal with his PTS. _

_Martin rolled his eye. Yeah, like he was going to give her another reason why he should keep attending the therapy sessions. _

_He shook his head. I'll just make some bullshit of eating some cereal or something. Wasn't that what normal people dreamed about?_

_Martin had to say he hadn't had a normal dream in a couple years, he didn't even think he could remember the last time he had a normal dream without it being a night mare where people weren't blowing up in front of his very eyes. _

_Martin switched off the bathroom light and made his way blindly (he snorted) towards his bed where his pink haired girlfriend lay._

_He gave another shake of his head before climbing into next to Saskia. _

_Maybe he was more like Kakashi than he realised. _

_Martin buried his head under the covers and allowed himself to be dragged unwillingly into dream land, hoping that maybe he would have good normal filled dreams rather than the terror filled ones or weird blue haired filled Naruto ones. _

_Hopefully._

…o0o…

When I woke next, I felt funny. Not as in nauseous, or pain filled but feeling more alive. It was odd like every breath I took in now felt like I was filling my lungs more fully. It didn't make any sense. There was also an odd sense of not being, like I had forgotten to do something, or not being completely… content.

I rolled onto my back and I was staring at a brightening blue sky. I gave a little smile and pushed myself so I was sitting upright. I looked for Kakashi but he was absent but not Sakura, she was curled up on the ground, her hands under her face, her knees tucked up to her chest, her breaths soft.

I heard the sound of trickling water. Curious, I crawled to where I could see water lapping lightly on the stream bed, slightly slithering over the slippery stones.

I pressed my fingers into the icy water and it was like I could feel relief. Finding my feet bare already, I wobbled as I pushed myself to my feet, prepared to wade into where it looked like it went up to mid-calf which was quite a ways in.

Delighted with the way the water seemed to change its direction when blocked with my skin, the way it chose to flow around me rather than hit straight on. I wiggled my already numb toes jubilantly. I took a deep breath, revelling in the way my senses seemed sharpened, like I had suffered with a cold and I was beginning to breathe again.

I giggled and gave a slight kick to the water, sending water droplets to arc over my head and then splatter on my arms.

At the sight of my arms, my heart dropped into my feet, gnawed its way out of my already ruined skin to float down the river.

They were truly ugly but I was familiar with their unsymmetrical repetition. From their slices and awkward hacks to the large stiches, the punctures on my chest, then the raw meat that was my stomach. They said it was a miracle I made it out alive.

They said it would have taken a true miracle to save her.

They chose to save me rather than her. They chose to save the one with the less extensive wounds. They chose to save me. Me, unworthy of each and every stich while she bled out on the ground next to me.

Me.

I collapsed to my knees, my head bowed as my tears trembled through me. I was uncaring of the water that swam around my hips, my eyes leaking more into the water below me.

I dashed my hands against the water below me, raging against the unfairness. Fuck it. Just. Fuck. It. All.

I allowed my face fall into my hands, weeping, whispering. I leaned further forward. Maybe I could drown…

I felt rather than heard the shouts. I could feel the vibrations of the sound waves but I couldn't even begin to sort it out into words.

I felt arms encircle me and pick me up, towing me towards the shore, my legs trailing a dead weight.

Dead. Grief welled up in me again and I couldn't help but begin to sniffle again, scrabbling at my skin, just wanting out of it.

Hands demanded my attention, securing my wrists in one hand, trying to lean their face into my line of vision, but I resolutely turned my face away, not even wanting to see the typical pity and revulsion of my marred skin. Hell, even I couldn't look at my skin without feeling that.

I felt a stinging slap to the face, numbly I looked up to see Kakashi's normally droopy eye, widened. Sakura's usually friendly face, the cold one of a stranger's.

I looked to my wrists where I saw they were gripped by the gloves of Hatake Kakashi who released them when seeing I was more in control. Or more zombie-fied, less reactive.

I looked further to the ground where I saw my feet turning a slight blue hue from the cold. How long was I in there?

I tried tuning into the conversation.

"…do you think you are doing?" Sakura's muffled voice scolded. "You could have gotten pneumonia."

"I wouldn't," I said tonelessly, looking past her, my eyes boring lifelessly into the tree trunk opposite me. "I found my skin doesn't just glow in the dark. It heals."

"Heals?" Kakashi cut in questioningly.

Wordlessly, I picked up an abandoned kunai from the ground and began to wordlessly cut my skin continually.

Kakashi swore, wrestling the weapon from my hands. I fought to keep it, to keep satisfying that empty part of me that was begging for more, abandoning his, I tried for Sakura's. She batted my weak hands away easily, shock on her face.

I slumped to the ground, curling in on myself and I exposed my arm for their inspection, I was barely feeling the pain, only experiencing a sense of burning. I could hear their rough intakes of breath as they watched my skin sew itself back together, the only sign of there being an injury in the first place was my blood running rivulets down with gravity to the dirt below.

"See?" I said, no inflection in my tone.

Kakashi spoke low into Sakura's ear and she tried to argue back but Kakashi probably gave her a look that meant she surrendered easily, giving up what appeared to be… bandages?

My confusion seemed to cut through my numbness and I could feel my skin stretch as my brow creased.

"What-?" I began to ask as Kakashi uncoiled them expertly and started to wrap them around my hand, covering one of my scars and started to work his way up.

Slowly, Kakashi wrapped the entirety of my right arm, covering my scars from view. He then turned his attention to my left and started the whole process again.

When my skin and scars were hidden, he looked me in the eye, raising his hand he deliberately lifted up his eye patch, exposing a swirling red eye.

"Sleep," I felt the command and although I struggled, I couldn't help but fall forward into the waiting arms.

* * *

**Ooooo, what is happening to Jenny?**

**Who is Martin? **

**And just warning, i have premade chapters, and I'm not actually this good at updating, i just want more responses to this story :3 **

**~JustThatKindOfSpecial**


	5. Stay With Me

Stay With Me

**Slowly, Kakashi wrapped the entirety of my right arm, covering my scars from view. He then turned his attention to my left and started the whole process again. **

**When my skin and scars were hidden, he looked me in the eye, raising his hand he deliberately lifted up his eye patch, exposing a swirling red eye. **

"**Sleep," I felt the command and although I struggled, I couldn't help but fall forward into the waiting arms.**

…o0o…

I really had to stop waking up like this. I found myself strapped to a more familiar hospital bed, my arms still bandaged but with a more familiar view out of the window. I was back in Konoha.

I looked at my feet. They were still bare but they had taken my blasted clothes again.

I growled and turned to the bands on my wrists, I saw they were the heavy durance bands that the masked man gave me on the dentist's chair. I shuddered thinking about him.

I looked up hopefully when I saw the door open, instead of anyone familiar it was a nurse, carrying a clipboard and a small white box. She wheeled a small white stool from the corner of the room and perched on its edge right next to me.

Placing the clipboard on the bedside, she opened the box and out came the needle.

My eyes widened and the adrenaline started pumping through me at the same time as my heart beat. I struggled, pulling away, my eyes never once leaving the needle. She grasped my arm in a firm grip.

Hysteria was crawling up my throat and finally came free. I screamed bloody murder.

The nurse looked up startled her thumb on the plunger.

"Someone help me!" I screamed desperately, still trying to dislodge her hold on my arm. I thrashed about on the bed causing the hospital bed to bang loudly against the wall.

Sakura came rushing in to see what was the problem along with a team of nurses. Seeing the bewildered nurse sitting beside me, she relaxed but rushed over to me, running a soothing hand across my already sweaty forehead from the fear of the woman next to me.

"Shhh, shhh," Sakura reassured me, running a hand over my blue hued hair. "She's only taking some blood for some tests."

I writhed more vigorously at the mention of 'tests'.

"LET. ME. FUCKING. GO!" I roared. "I AM NOT TAKING ANY MORE FUCKING TESTS. YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR FUCKING TESTS CAN DO? GO SHOVE THAT NEEDLE UP YOUR-"

"Now this is interesting," a familiar voice drawled from the side breaking off my fear induced rant.

Everyone looked to the left where the familiar village pervert slouched on the windowsill, one leg propped up, while the other dangled precariously into the open air on the other side, his heartening orange covered smut book open before that one eye.

Relief had never come so hard and fast.

"Please," I whispered brokenly, "Please don't let them."

"Kakashi-" Sakura began.

"Everyone clear out." He ordered, straightening from his position.

"Kakashi-" she tried again, her mouth curled into a snarl.

He literally just shooed her out too. "You can come back in a minute to do all your medical voodoo but for now, I would like a talk with my friend while she's not hysterical." He raised a challenging eyebrow.

Sakura started to protest but cut herself off with a bite to her lip, an odd expression covering over her face. It was almost like… guilt? "Five minutes."

With a dramatic twirl causing her lab coat to flare out behind her, she walked out of the room.

I turned my terrified eyes to Kakashi. "Please don't let them test on me. I am begging you."

Kakashi shook his head. I feared the worst. "I would never let them do that to my little firefly," Kakashi teased and walked over to me and began to unbuckle the cuffs.

The smile I sent him was so blinding that I swear I could have defeated the sun. I didn't even care about the nickname. He rolled his eyes. Hooking a hand underneath my knees and across my bare back he lifted me, walking towards the window.

"Do you care if you have your clothes or not?" he asked, already prepping to what looked like leaping out of the window.

I shook my head, just desperate to leave that damned hospital, although I tightened my hold on his neck as I looked out of the window, apprehensive.

Kakashi casually stepped out into the open air.

I clenched my eyes tight shut just waiting for the impact and instead of feeling my body slamming into the pavement, I felt the wind begin again and I was jumping up and down. I opened my eyes slightly to see that we were now running and to my relief I saw that it was towards Kakashi's flat.

Bounding up the treacherous steps, I held on extra tightly, before I was released until my toes touched the already warm stone ground. I smiled and looked up to my saviour, quickly removing any sign of my earlier terror with a hurried hand. Kakashi gave me that signature eye crinkle and opened the door to our flat.

I immediately rushed to the cheap sofa and flopped face first onto it. I groaned.

"You okay?" an amused voice said from the door.

I grunted in agreement.

"Do you want a shower?"

Another grunt.

"Are you going to move?" his voice sounded closer.

A pause. "Eventually."

Kakashi gave a low chuckle before he gave a flick to what I forgot was a backless hospital gown. I squeaked and rolled over so my back was covered or more specifically my butt.

"You didn't have to move just for me," Kakashi said mildly, pulling out his book.

I rolled my eyes, "Pervert."

"Careful," he said, not once looking up from his porn, "my feelings might actually get hurt."

I snorted and slowly backed away from him cupping my bottom as if that was going to hide anything from him.

"I am going to go and shower, after that, I am going to make you my special Hanky Panky Pancakes for a thank you," I gave the back of his head a grin wondering how he would react.

Kakashi actually graced me by leaning his head towards me, his droopy eye boring into me. "Hanky Panky Pancakes?"

I smiled sheepishly, "Well it's what's my friends dubbed it after continually walking past my flat after doing the walk of shame…" I shrugged, "So I guess it just stuck."

"I thought you lived in fields," Kakashi arched his brow questioningly.

I flushed, "That was before I got a flat."

I quickly made my departure into his large bathroom, before I made anymore slip ups and studiously avoiding the mirror; I untied the back of my hospital gown, allowing it to fall to the ground with a crinkle.

I sighed and my hands wavered over the bandages of my arms, undecided whether to take them off. With a depressed slump of my shoulders, I left them covered and cranked on the water, hand under the fall of water, feeling the temperature warming up.

Standing there, it was like the thrum of water against the tiles at my feet, meant that I had the time to think over the last five days much to my horror. My skin squirmed as I thought of knifes across my skin. I cupped my fabric bound elbows.

Heaving a breath, I was determined to not to think about it as much as possible to try not to freak out about it. Scraping my hair back roughly, grabbing the blue goop, I roughly massaged it through my scalp. I jumped when I heard a voice outside of my shower curtain.

"So what other foods can you cook for me?" Kakashi's voice spoke over the noise of the shower.

I paused.

"Come worthy crumpets?" I replied, confused at the oddity of the situation me being naked in the shower while Kakashi was probably sitting on the toilet, reading.

"I don't think I want to know how that name came about," I heard the rustle of a page turning over the shower.

"Let's just assume my friends are as crass and perverted as us," I responded, taking time to lather myself in Kakashi's reassuring spearmint and tea tree soap, slowly allowing myself to be distracted.

"Would they be rounded up into the pervert ghetto too?"

"Of course. There would be no other place for them," I smiled fondly to myself, missing them a little.

"What other foods have you got?"

"Sexy stroganoff?"

"Meh not as perverted," Kakashi dismissed. "I'm on a strictly on a perverted named food diet."

"The Jerk Circle?" I asked jokingly.

There was a silence then-

"Why on _earth_ would you call a food _that?_" Kakashi asked, horror blatant in his voice.

"It's a lot of sausages surrounded by bacon and then covered in creamy mash potatoes." I smiled, as I thought of my friends cackling as they discussed new names for my food.

"I think I am happy with just Hanky Panky Pancakes and Come Worthy Crumpets today," Kakashi said, unconcerned for the actual names.

"No Jerk Circle?" I teased.

"No Jerk Circle," he confirmed with a hint of warning.

"Alright, alright, mister grumpy pants," I finished rinsing and held the shower curtain in a firm grip. "Turn around, I am getting out."

I was surprised when he passed a towel through before I heard him say, 'turning around now.'

With a quick peek to make sure his eyes were averted, I hopped out of the shower to find some clean clothes on the side.

"Are these for me?" I asked fingering the articles.

"Yeah, they're mine though, I thought you wouldn't be comfortable with the pervert rummaging through your things."

I snickered. "That's true," I agreed, "I'll be fine once I buy some nice underwear."

There was a lapse before-

"Are you giving me permission to look through your knickers as soon as you buy nice ones?" Kakashi's voice sounded careful.

"Yep," I waited for Kakashi to leave but he just pulled down his trousers, giving me an eye full of tight, naked ass.

"Whoa!" I blushed, turning my back on him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking a shower," he said simply.

"Oh, right, I got that but, stripping right in front of me," I sneaked a look to see his shoulders rippling as he rolled his top his off his torso. "I don't know, maybe give a girl some warning?"

"I've seen you naked more than a couple of times, I thought you would be happy evening the scores," Kakashi said, bemused.

My mouth went dry just following the slight shadows created by the defined muscles on his back, bulging slightly off his lean frame.

He was broad shouldered with a large chest area however it was probably still on the small side compared to body builders. But I had to say, I appreciated this sight a whole lot more.

I spied several white scars all across his back, the randomness exactly like paint splatters.

I almost tried to peek at his lower half of his face when he partially turned, gracing me with an extremely welcome view of his washboard abs and tight pecs, but then immediately dismissed it as rude. I abruptly turned to dabbing my skin with the rugged towel, having to sponge the bandages a lot more before pulling the large t-shirt over my body where it ended just over my bottom and then slid Kakashi's boxers up my legs, the elastic the only reason they were staying up.

I looked back down at the bandages, already looking a bit worn and grimy despite the shower.

"Hey Kakashi!" I called through the shower.

He hummed in acknowledgement.

"Where are your bandages?" I started to hunt through the cabinets.

I heard a slight screech of complaint as the shower rings moved back. "I think they are in the cupboard on your left-no your other left-yep that's it."

Another screech and rustle as the shower curtain was replaced. I stared down at the sheer number rolls of white gauze and bandages.

Shakily, I brought my hand to grasp my wrist, trying to force myself to hook a finger under the white fabric to take it off. I panted hard and I scowled. _It isn't so fucking hard Jenny, just man up and take it off the bandage._

Just as I was about give up and leave it unwrapped, a particularly large and wet hand grasped my wrist prying it away.

My heart thundered under the sensational overload, trying to understand why I could smell the spearmint and tea tree sharper, how I could smell Kakashi's detergent even clearer. It was questioning how the steam of the shower had caught on the raised hairs on my arms and how my eyes keenly took in the wetness on my wrist.

I followed the wetness up a band of pure power from a forearm leading to a particularly dented bicep to a shuddering shoulder where it seemed to be dripping with water. The trail ends of the grey hair brushed it lightly and I followed it up to meet a grey eyed gaze. Unsure whether he had something blocking the lower half of his face, I kept eye contact, much to the chagrin of my cheeks which flushed under his intent scrutiny.

Pressing a scarred palm to my cheek he gently turned my face away from him and the mirror, I felt Kakashi slowly unwrap the bandages. Grabbing the hand towel in front of my eyes, he dabbed at my skin softly like he was scared he would damage it if he applied too much pressure.

I felt the dry warmth of the new bandage as he wrapped it around my palm to the back of my wrist before binding it further up my arm, mummifying it. Kakashi repeated the procedure with my opposite arm.

When I felt the last knot, I cleared my throat. We had both been silent through the system.

"I'll go make us some food, although we'll probably need to get the milk that we didn't get last time," I started to babble, "And flour, we will definitely need flour, oh and I wonder if you have sugar? Because we also need sugar-"

Kakashi stopped my speaking by setting his hands on my shoulders, "Firefly, I have already done it."

I frowned. "But I only decided to make pancakes and crumpets today."

"You told me you knew only how to make stir fry and cookies. And I am sure the main ingredient of cookies is…?" he trailed off, allowing me to give the obvious answer.

I blushed and looked at my feet. "Sugar."

"So what dirty name did these get given?" Kakashi asked after a moment of silence.

"Hmmm?" I shook my head, ridding myself of the pictures of the gloriously muscled man in front of me. He could give the Abercrombie &amp; Fitch models a run for their money.

"What was the dirty name given to the cookies?" Kakashi spoke slowly and I guess it was to be expected. I was acting slightly spaced out.

I wrinkled my nose as I finally understood the question. "Not a nice one trust me."

I turned to walk out of the door but Kakashi grasped my arm, rotating me back so I faced him again. "No, tell me."

I folded my arms, "Not without a please," I looked in his eyes determined not to be tempted to look at the lower half of his face.

Kakashi rolled his eye, exasperated. "Fine, please tell me what the dirty name was given to the cookies."

I scuffed my big toe across the floor as I mumbled my answer.

"What was that?" Kakashi leaned closer.

"Cunt clenching cookies," I muttered as I flushed crimson before sprinting out of the bathroom.

His laughter followed me all the way to the kitchen. I shook my head to get rid of the butterflies that were chasing around in my skull just marvelling over his laugh and how it melted the ice chip in my chest cavity.

To distract myself, I started banging around the cupboards searching for the pans and the ingredients.

Settling them all beside me I began to work and I was so focussed that I didn't hear the bell go until Kakashi yelled out to me. "Can you get that?"

Placing down the flour I walked to the door and I was not expecting a sweaty Ino at the door.

"Do you know how long it took for me to find you?" she demanded, her hands on her hips.

"A long time?" I hedged.

Ino rolled her eyes and grabbed my wrist dragging me out of the flat, "we're going shopping."

"Wait Ino, I'm just about to make breakfast. Would you like some?"

The blonde turned to me, a calculating look in her eyes. "What are you making?" she asked suspiciously.

"Crumpets and pancakes?"

There was another moment of silence before she shrugged. "Yeah, why not?" and strode back into the flat like it was her own.

I sent my eyes heavenwards but walked back in, shutting the door behind me before stepping towards the kitchen to begin making the pancakes again.

Ino lounged on one of the mismatched chairs, picking at her fingernails.

To me an awkward moment of silence ensued.

"So how has the shop been?" I asked, not sure on what else to say.

Ino shrugged, "The tea girl has been banging more and more men lately, I am starting to think I have got a prostitute under my roof."

I gave a surprised laugh, "Sucks for you."

"Don't need to tell me," Ino grumbled.

I flipped a pancake onto a plate and placed it in front of Ino, before turning to the pan again to sizzle some more batter on the heat.

I also brought out another dusty bowl to begin making the crumpets. I grimaced at the sight of the unwelcome fluff and rinsed it with water. I swear Kakashi used _nothing_ in his flat other than the bookshelf, the sofa and the bathroom.

More importantly the shower. I shook myself as I felt a shiver run through me at the sight of a mostly naked, wet…. I fanned myself, a futile attempt to cool myself from the less than chaste thoughts.

"Is it hot in here? Do you want me to open a window?" speak of the devil, a now clothed arm reached out next to me to unlatch the window which looked out on rolling rubbish and graffiti walls.

"They smell delicious by the way," he gave an exaggerated sniff coupled with his eye closing.

I flushed at the compliment but blamed it on the heat of the pan when he questioned it.

"Yah, it's just the heat of the pan," Ino said, through a mouthful of pancake, a knowing look exchanged between us. I shot her a glare when I thought Kakashi's back was turned.

"So why are we going shopping?" I asked Ino while depositing another pancake for Kakashi on his plate. Kakashi sat with his back facing us.

"Well Sakura said before she left that we are meant to be drinking tonight and I noticed on our 'shopping trip'" the sarcasm couldn't have been more obvious in her tone even if there was a neon sign announcing it. "That Sakura refrained from actually getting you clothes."

I chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah, does that mean we'll get to go to Midnight Lace finally?"

"Sure does, Lightbulb."

I raised my eyebrows. "Lightbulb?"

Ino swallowed the mound of pancake she just put in her mouth. "Yeah Lightbulb. See me and Sakura give each other names like Pig and Forehead so I thought since we're going to be friends I might as well call you a name."

"Charming," Kakashi said dryly.

"Wondering why you didn't think of it yourself?" I teased him.

He looked over his shoulder, his mask covering his face again and gave me a baleful stare before continuing to tuck into his breakfast.

A sudden thought came to me. "But wait, I don't have any money."

Kakashi coughed as a pancake went down the wrong way. Recovering, Kakashi pulled his mask back into place as he turned to face me. "I took your share of money from the mission as well as compensation since the Hokage didn't actually have the knowledge that you were," he coughed again. "Inexperienced ninja." Walking over to a dusty tin, with a few hidden hand signals he tipped a whole pile of money on the table. "Do you think that this will be enough?" he asked rhetorically.

Ino gave a little squeal, jumping up and abandoning her pancake for the tin which she replaced all the money back in. She turned to me, a smile alighting her face.

"We can get you seven different lingerie for each day of the week!" she squealed, comically jumping up and down.

Bemused I returned my attention to mixing the crumpets.

Ino groaned with impatience. "Do you really have to make these _now?_"

I shot her a look as I placed dollops of the mixture on the baking trays. "Are you telling me you don't want some of this left over for you to take back home?" I shrugged indifferently. "Oh well, I guess I can give these to-"

"Nononono," Ino rushed to my side instantly. "You don't have to do that, I mean if there is left over, I don't want it to go to waste."

I smiled and piled all of the dirty dishes on the side to be washed.

"You aren't having any pancakes firefly?" Kakashi asked from the corner where he casually looked up from his book.

I shook my head smiling. "I'll wait for the crumpets."

I started to wash the dishes and was surprised when a gloved hand started to dry. Shrugging it off, it was almost therapeutical the way the system would work in the quiet of the kitchen. The way I would methodically clean the bowls and pans, the muted thud of a pass over to Kakashi. The inaudible rasp of Kakashi rubbing away the soapy water before the opening and closing of the correct cupboard.

The timer dinged and I rapidly picked out the crumpets and took a deep breath of the deliciousness. Turning I caught a salivating Ino and as close as I could see a desperate Kakashi.

"Are you guys still hungry?" I asked incredulous.

Ino nodded eagerly and Kakashi shrugged.

"It would go to waste otherwise," he shrugged again.

I tsked and placed it in the centre of the table and turned to get myself a plate and when I turned back around I saw Kakashi and Ino piling their plates high and leaving only a couple for me.

"Hey!" I protested.

They both froze and comically turned to me, eyes wide. I fisted my hands on my hips.

"Put two of your crumpets on the baking tray again. Each. Slowly." I ordered frostily.

Slowly, the both placed their allotted number of crumpets back on the baking tray. I saw Kakashi try and pull a fast one on me and take one again.

I clicked at him angrily. "Ah-ah."

Kakashi's droopy eye looked at me, his eye brow inching upwards.

"Did you just scold me like… a dog?"

There was an incredulous silence before I nodded.

I sat down and began to butter my hot scone ignoring him. We all took a bite of the buttery goodness and promptly groaned in unison.

"If I have a coronary heart attack right now," I moaned, "I would not mind at all. I would die happy."

Ino snorted as she delicately picked at her crumpet, a complete reversal from her animalistic desperation earlier.

The entire remaining eating was finished in silence and was only broken when Kakashi spoke.

"I can now see why your friends call them come worthy. I think I just came."

I choked on my remaining swallow.

…o0o…

I was enjoying the sun when I saw Sakura fondling a white granny bra at the stall where we bought my first bras. Ino was chatting inanely and I didn't think she had seen her friend and I quickly tugged her to a stall.

"Wow this looks interesting!" I exclaimed.

Ino looked at me like I was crazy.

"Lightbulb, that is a bed pan."

I dropped it like it was hot and sent an apologetic glance to the owner of the stall before continuing what I felt was further away from Sakura.

"So where first?" I turned to my blonde companion.

"Well, we need to get you several hot dresses for night outs, then need to get you some hot lingerie so you can get laid," Ino ticked them off on her hands. "You also need some real soap, Kakashi's makes you smell like a butch lesbian."

I gave a startled laugh and we continued through the myriad of brightly coloured stalls.

"Oooo and make up!" Ino crowed, running to a relatively small wooden structure that seemed to be overflowing with tubes of lipstick, pads of eye shadows and brushes sticking out haphazardly.

I giggled and began my prowl for my usual.

Even though it was nearly late morning, the humidity was killing me. I swiped my already sweaty forehead.

"Ew gross Lightbulb," Ino curled her upper lip.

I rolled my eyes and handed my money over.

Throughout the day, my tin became considerably lighter as the familiar chink of money exchanging hands.

I had to buy a variety of items that Ino said were a necessity so 'I wouldn't be like Forehead."

I snorted at that as I bought the scarf.

Finally, at the end of the day, Ino gifted me with:

"And now we can go to Midnight Lace!"

I squealed and ran to catch up with her already shrinking form as she raced me to possibly the crème de la crème. Midnight lace, I sighed internally.

Where some girls use make up to make themselves feel prettier (which I did) or have a lot of guy mates compared to girl friends to feel more superior in their beauty (which I also did), what I do that is undeniably the only thing that makes girls feel better about themselves: buy a fuck load of lingerie.

The first breath of air conditioned room hinted at its high prices didn't dissuade me as I caressed a fuchsia and black silk push up bra and thong set.

I breathed deep through my nose.

I was finally home.

…o0o…

I knocked on the front door to Kakashi's flat , my numerous shopping bags smacking into it along with my tired fist.

I propped myself on the side wall, taking deep breaths through my nose trying to oxygenate my brain which was complaining with the beginnings of a headache. Well probably not a headache considering my body bloody self heals.

I scowled down at my hidden arms.

It was probably my body suffering from dehydration. Not much a body can do without water.

I listened for a minute as Kakashi went through the locks (too many locks) and finally opened the door where he greeted me with his droopy eye scanning me head to foot.

"Are you going to let me in or not?" I may or may not have been especially cranky after a near death experience on those slippery steps up to the flat, all crazy torturers excluded.

Wordlessly, Kakashi opened the door further open and stepped aside for me to waddle in like my kinsmen, the penguins, before flopping on the couch the second time that day. I closed my tired eyes in relief.

"Well, now this is interesting," I creaked open one eyelid and froze.

My worst nightmares confirmed:

Kakashi stood there, an electric blue lace thong dangling precariously from a finger, his grey eye held the gleam of teasing while his eye brow was non-existent while it hid in his unruly hairline.

I blushed furiously and with unknown energy I flashed upwards, racing to the other side of the low table made of breeze blocks and an old door and made a grab for the under garment which Kakashi held teasingly in the air.

"Give it back!" I hissed, making another futile jump.

What I should have said before was that while I found lingerie brought out a prettier me, it didn't mean that I was confident enough that I would let any man see them while not on my body.

Kakashi ran behind the couch and I followed albeit more slowly behind him, not even half the athlete he was even after two years of going to the gym regularly.

I chased him around the flat, desperate to gain it back.

"Consider it your payment for saving you," Kakashi teased. "I am but a humble knicker entrepreneur and unfortunately, my stock is running low."

"Not that one you dick!" I hissed, making another desperate grab. "You can take the shittier knickers, the white cotton."

Kakashi made a face.

"But they aren't as pretty as these ones," he argued, twirling said knickers around his finger.

"But I haven't even had a chance to wear them yet!" I whined, stomping my foot childishly.

Kakashi chuckled and came over to me, ruffling my hair, much to my chagrin and placed the high quality lace in my hand.

"You can have them back," he said walking towards his bedroom. "But I am claiming interest next time." He called over his shoulder, disappearing.

I gabbled for a moment, my mouth uncertain of how to even form words.

"Interest?!" I finally shrieked in outrage.

He peeked his head around the door jamb. "Well unless you want to give those over right now?" He nodded towards the blue knickers forgotten in my hands. He then gave a smirk, "I thought not," and returned into his bedroom.

I huffed and brought my necessities into the bathroom for going out that night for drinking.

Stripping nude although leaving my bandages on my arms still, I brought my new soaps in and timidly placed them in a tiny corner of the shower cubicle, unsure of whether I was allowed to have a space there yet.

Switching the water on, I couldn't help but want Kakashi in here too to distract me again from my thoughts. My tired brain wasn't equipped for fighting against the tide of malicious and hurtful daydreams.

"Well, I like these ones too," Kakashi said, from the other side of the shower curtain. "I might take these in my interest claim."

I scowled to myself. _I take it back. Who would want that perverted jackass in here anyway?_

I still couldn't help the niggling sense of relief as I thought I heard him settle on the toilet seat.

"So which bar-slash-club are you going that requires you to be dressed up so," Kakashi paused, mulling over his next choice of words, probably examining the dress I was planning on wearing out that night. "Eloquently."

"I think we are going clubbing," I replied, massaging my new mango shampoo into my hair and sighed at the luxurious feeling. "God this feels so good."

I could feel Kakashi's raised eye brow from here. "Are you doing something that would require more privacy? I don't mind, being the pervert that I am, but apparently women like some quiet time when they are seeking relief."

I snorted. "I'm not doing _that_ you halfwit. I am using this new shampoo that we bought today and God does it feel good."

"Is God your boyfriend back home?" Kakashi asked after a gap.

I snickered. "Man I wish."

We were both quiet for the majority of my shower until, Kakashi tentatively probed at the thing barrier.

"If hypothetically you saw me at the same club that you are going to tonight, what would you think?"

I halted my washing of mango body wash (sensing a pattern here?), turning my wide eyes towards the space Kakashi would be inhabiting, confused by the sudden change in conversation.

"Why are you asking?" I asked, unsure of what Kakashi was saying.

"Just answer the question."

I paused, allowing rivulets of water to continue down my spine for a moment.

"Do you mean now that I know you or do you mean if you were a stranger?" I asked cautiously.

"If I was a stranger," he clarified.

"Oh, well," I paused again, thinking about it. "I'd probably try to get you to go home with me."

There was a silence and I blushed thinking that I had been too forthright with my answer and began to apologise.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Why are you apologising? I asked for your opinion." Kakashi's voice cut over mine.

"Well, maybe you weren't looking for such an honest answer?" I hedged.

"Can I ask why me?"

I halted my ministrations again, trying to think of how my honest answer would go over.

"I-uh-I have a kind of," I coughed uncomfortably, combing the conditioner through my hair. "A _liking_ for men older than I am, not by a couple years, more like at least half a decade."

There was another silence and I quickly washed the smoothness of the conditioner out of my hair.

"I am coming out now," I broke the stillness quietly.

Kakashi hummed.

Expecting it to be like last time, I thought he would have his back turned but when I stepped onto the cold, white tiles, he was staring impassively at his smut book.

I squeaked and dived for my towel and quickly secured it under my armpits covering my dignity.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, my skin flushing with both the heat of the shower and the embarrassment. "I thought you would have turned around!"

Kakashi slowly raised his eye to meet mine. "If I wasn't peeking surely it isn't bad? Or don't you trust me?"

I opened my mouth to protest but then I thought about it.

It wasn't exactly bad if he wasn't planning on looking and at this point he saved my life. Nothing could break that trust.

My shoulders slumped.

"No, I guess it isn't _bad_," I grumbled, turning to face the mirror, my eyes instantly zoning in on my bandage covered arms.

Reflexively, I traced the ridges made between each wrap, guarding my line of sight to my scars.

I saw a shadow out of the corner of my eye and Kakashi held my wrist, his finger poised to catch under the bandage to take it off. A silent question.

I nodded, looking away.

I felt a cold breeze hit my skin as the damp fabric was unwinded.

I resolutely combed my long hair one handed, uncaring of the uneven ends, determined not to glance once at the scars.

I failed.

My hand slow in my hair as my eyes fixated on the red and fading scars. My finger traced the familiar and normal.

In a sick way, it made me feel normal again, the disgust at them absent as I fell into my role of recovering after the accident.

I was normal Jenny again, I would leave my house for uni, then on the Sunday I would make the effort to leave the city for the country where my parents prepared Sunday lunch and we would eat it while my brother wold come in, smelling of the farm.

We all would earnestly ignore the empty chair that used to be filled with another family member.

I felt warm at the memory and when Kakashi went to cover them again, I placed a hand on his wrist, restraining him gently.

"You look like you would need them more since this isn't the last mission you are going to go on," I said, smiling, rummaging through my bag for an actual hair brush.

Kakashi was already shaking his head before I had even finished speaking. "I think you still need them, I don't mind."

Kakashi then began to resolutely tie the bandages earnestly, covering up my marred skin.

"But with your what's-it, I would have thought you wouldn't even be here, being out on another mission and all."

Kakashi looked at me questionably. "What's-it?"

"You know," I pointed to his face, "Under the eye patch there, the eye thing."

There was a dawning of understanding before he sent his unobstructed orb heavenward.

"It's called a Sharigan," he said.

"A what now?" I asked, pausing mid stroke.

"A Sharigan," Kakashi enunciated it slowly.

"Sorry, a what?" I asked. I smirked inside. I heard very well the first time but it looked like it irritated him every time that I questioned what he said.

"A Sharigan," he said it louder.

"Sheraniran?" I tried to say with a serious face before I cackled hysterically.

Kakashi just picked up his book and walked out of the bathroom.

"Oh don't be such a sour puss," I called playfully, through the open door. "I was just kidding!"

"Your interest rate has increased." Was all I got as a reply.

"Spoil sport," I grumbled, striding to the door to shut it for some privacy.

I pulled out the navy body con dress with a plunging neckline. I gave it an approving smile before dropping my towel to the floor.

I wiggled into the fuchsia thong that I saw first in Midnight Lace and then them matching bra that had a nice amount of padding. I fell into the routine of being a normal girl again.

Sliding the fabric of the dress over my hips, I didn't bother pulling up my arms, not wanting to get powder foundation on the front then I began the common ritual of going out clubbing.

I covered my pores, smoothed my skin tone, slid black over my eyelids, lengthened my lashes, rubbed a balm over my lips and with a critical eye I deemed myself ready to go clubbing.

Pulling the dress over my arms, I unsuccessfully tried to do the zip up on the back.

I chewed my lip, undecided. Ino would be here any minute and I needed someone to zip me up. Ino said while I might live with someone commonly known for being late, didn't give me an excuse to be late myself.

Slowly, I moved across the room where Kakashi was typically sitting his book open, an arm behind his head. He didn't look up.

"Do the back of my dress up would you?" I spun around, presenting him with my back, holding my hair out of the way, not really giving him an option.

There was a huff and a snap of a book shutting and I felt warm hands on either side of my waist pushing me a little forward so he could stand comfortably in the space between our bodies and the sofa.

The obstinate sound of the zip was the only thing that broke that tense silence. It wasn't tense like you would think, like a sexual tension between an incredibly attractive male and a hormone filled body female. Well there was for a little bit for me, but for Kakashi it was as platonic as placing a tiara on his niece.

It was more like it was the beginning of drawing lines in our friendship developing. We have both wordlessly agreed that even drinking that we wouldn't sleep together (more of his rule considering he was serious about Sakura) however we could bounce back from seeing each other naked.

And appeared to be comfortable on that one side of the relationship.

Another unspoken rule was that we could discuss the books although it appeared that unless Kakashi gave his own criticism, I wasn't allowed to do the same. He got very touchy that way.

So this zipping up my dress was just another fence to bind us in this fragile friendship.

I beamed over my shoulder in thanks and tugged a little on the hem that most prude's would be uncomfortable with wearing. Considering my face was average at best, I had to sway the male attention with the body.

I could feel the feminist pitch forks being waved at me already.

I rummaged through the bags on the table to find my only bag that I thought could be used for any occasion: black, plain, not too big, not too small. You know the one.

I started to fill it with my purse, mace and make up. Then the old woman in me called out for a cardigan for the walk home.

"So what's your wild night in going to consist of?" I asked over my shoulder as I bent to retrieve the book that I was reading on the floor where I had abandoned it to chase Kakashi earlier.

I gave it an apologetic rub, scrutinising for any sign of damage. Finding none, I turned to give Kakashi my full attention while bending to one of the shopping bags that I still hadn't unpacked from the morning for a cardigan.

All I heard was the running of the shower. I tsked and followed through the open doorway where I smelt his soap eagerly.

"So you are definitely going out tonight with your friends then?" I asked, perching on the toilet lid, beginning to read my last chapter.

There was a grunt of affirmation.

"Any attractive?" I tried to ask neutrally.

There was a screech of shower rings and I resolutely was determined to not look up at the eye that was probably glaring at me.

"A couple," he grudgingly admitted. "Although they are off limits to you tonight; you need your rest."

I pouted but grudgingly admitted defeat as I read my final pages in silence. I had to say, I was feeling pretty tired and was only going to strengthen my friendship with Ino and Sakura.

Oh and to scout out the fresh meat.

Not that I was objectifying men or anything.

But Kakashi said tonight I couldn't sleep with his friends; that didn't mean I couldn't pursue them in the future. I gave myself an internal evil grin.

There was another rustle as Kakashi clambered out of the shower that he somehow made it appear like he was dwarfing it.

I averted my eyes when from my peripheral I saw that he was completely naked, without a shred of dignity. He didn't even bother to cover it up!

"When is Ino picking you up?"

I started, so absorbed in the shittest ending to a book I have ever had the unfortunate experience to read. I looked up to see Kakashi vigorously rubbing his silver hair until it was standing in disarray.

I shrugged, closing the book. "She didn't say-"

At that moment there was heavy pounding on the door and I walked quickly to the desperate knocks.

I opened the door to see a flushed Sakura panting, her pink dress hanging awkwardly off her frame, evidence of exercise. I saw over her shoulder an irate Ino behind the pink haired woman.

"Are you okay?" I asked haltingly, unsure with how to proceed with this sight.

Sakura roughly shoved passed me and leaped towards a towelling Kakashi where she launched herself into his arms, laying the biggest kiss I have ever seen on his mouth.

I saw Kakashi flinch but didn't struggle. I also saw, to Sakura's embarrassment, that he wasn't returning it as she grinded herself up his body. I felt a heat flagging my cheeks and averted my gaze.

Finally, I brought myself to look when I heard a smacking sound and saw Sakura had given up and was wiping her smudged lip stain, turned to us and walked out of the door. Ino shaking her head followed after that. With an apologetic rub on Kakashi's shoulder, I snatched my bag from the table and raced out of the door to catch up with Ino.

"…was that?" I heard Ino hissing next to her.

I saw Sakura shrugged. "Me showing him that I was not going to give up on him."

"But you were the one who cheated on him in the first place Sakura!" Ino responded angrily and inside I was cheering for the blonde. "Did you even apologise?"

Sakura hesitated for a moment.

"Kinda…"

Ino froze. Her whole body ridged.

"Kinda?" Ino shrieked, any amount of subtlety lost. "Either you did or you didn't Forehead!"

Ino smacked said forehead of the pinkette. Sakura cried out.

"I did apologise, but not in so many words!"

Ino fisted her hands on her sides. I awkwardly shifted my feet, knowing that I wasn't part of this debate.

"What words?" Ino snarled.

"Well I told him why I did it and-" Sakura began.

The curiosity was killing me. I was weak for gossip.

"Why did you do it?" I asked, my eyebrow raised.

Sakura scowled at the interruption and her glare seemed to increase as she stared at me. I swallowed nervously but stayed firm. Kakashi was arguably the best friend I have ever had, I wasn't going to let a woman play around with him.

"Because of you!" Sakura growled, her finger prodding painfully into my bare chest.

I recoiled from the force.

"If you hadn't come here with your naked body to cause nosebleeds and be pretty and blue haired and being so happy and live in Kakashi's house and try to sleep with him and-" Sakura cut herself off with a sob.

Through the extensive list (most of which I couldn't help with) my eyes had gotten wider and wider in shock.

Cautiously I took a step forward and gave a pull to the shoulder and tried to bring her in for a hug.

Sakura roughly shoved me away. "I don't want your pity!" she hissed violently.

I recoiled again, trying to hide the hurt of rejection by laying my mask on neutrally, the skill as easy as breathing.

"You're the one who cheated on him before Jenny even came here," Ino pointed out angrily. "And I thought I was petty."

"You don't understand Ino-Pig! Having your boyfriend being as attractive as he is, never saying anything about his feelings or why he likes you or why he changed his mind on going out with you. Why he doesn't explain getting a nose bleed form seeing another girl naked-"

Sakura choked off again.

There was a tense moment of silence and in my head it was buzzing with all the reassurances I wanted to give, buzzing with all the reproach I wanted to give her for cheating on a man as honourable as Kakashi. Instead in a quiet voice I cleared my throat and broke the silence:

"I think he is going out with his friends tonight, if you apologise, I'm sure he would begin to forgive you," I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to scrape some skin off with all the words I didn't want to say.

I didn't want this girl to string Kakashi along. She was toxic. But Ino was my friend, one of the closest allies I had other than Kakashi himself and it seemed if I wanted to be Ino's friend I would have to accept this selfishness incarnate.

There was so much I wanted to say, but there was so much under social etiquette which I wasn't allowed to.

_I want you to break it off with Sasuke. No more. He is a lost cause, like a baby who has thrown his toys out of the pram and is crying for them back, he has thrown you away and now seeing you're happy, he wants you back. That's all you are to him Sakura: a toy. Now if you don't want Kakashi's interest, tell him now._

"She's right Forehead, but you have to break it off definitely with Sasuke first." Ino added.

Sakura's shoulders deflated, the weight of her decision depressing her into the ground beneath our feet. She nodded numbly in agreement.

With a bright smile that I didn't feel in the sombre mood I clapped my hands together once. "Right let's get wankered."

Ino laughed and looped her arms through mine and Sakura's elbows, dragging us towards the lit up downtown.

"By the way, in case I forgot to mention it earlier, you look bangin' Ino," I said, looking down at her purple halter dress, dipping low into her cleavage, the bejewelled band just under highlighting her breasts.

Ino flipped her blonde ponytail behind her again, her chest puffing up at the praise. "I know, purple looks best on me." Ino looked up at me critically. "I was a bit dubious with navy but I was wrong. Bitch you are going to get laid tonight."

I snorted. "Thank you, I try," I preened mockingly. "Although Kakashi said that I'm not allowed to have sex tonight." I pouted.

Ino sent her incredulous blue eyes towards me, our eyes a little bit disjointed, her being an inch or so shorter than me.

"I can't believe that pervert," her nose was wrinkled derisively. "Before Forehead here, no matter if he had been just at death's door, he would go to the local pub and screw the nearest girl in the bathroom!"

"Classy," I commented dryly.

Ino was about to retort when Sakura cut her off. "Do you mind if we don't talk about Kakashi please?"

The mood dampened, we walked in peace. I looked everywhere that didn't have Sakura in my direct line of sight.

Finally, _finally_, we reached a club where the music was thrumming out already. Getting immediate entry, I bee lined to the bar where I saw men perching on stools, most looking to be on their own.

The bar keep was a young man, around my age, his skin tanned with a pleasant face. I made note on to come here again.

"A round of tequila please, my good man," the man in question looked up from the glass he was cleaning and paused as he took in my form. It helped that I had my arms pushing my boobs up subtly to give the hint that there was more than there actually was.

I gave a seemingly innocent smile, pretending to crease my eyebrows in confusion as he didn't begin to do my order. Startled, he looked away, a little flushed even in this dark lighting.

"Sure," I could see him unconsciously building up his courage to send me a cheeky wink or maybe some kind of witty repartee.

He went with the toothy crooked smile. I returned it with vigour before paying for the round and walked away, making sure that there was more sway in my hips than usual before placing the round on the table where Ino and Sakura were sitting in an odd silence.

I hesitated before I broke that thick silence by licking my hand and salting it. I raised a shot glass.

"To new friendships, not dying and getting laid!" I knocked back the spirit.

Ino snorted but followed suit, moving her jaw slightly afterwards, allowing the alcohol soak through.

I saw Sakura just fiddle with the little glass. "Well? It's not going to drink itself," I pointed out sharply.

Sakura's mouth tightened and with a little glare, she shot down the glass of tequila, never breaking eye contact with me, other than a tell-tale wince, she looked invigorated.

I nodded in approval and started on my second.

I started when Ino gave a squeal, my heart pounding, a fear induced sweat sprinkling over my skin, nothing to do with the hot club. My eyes darted for the threat, I cupped my elbows, as if it would hide them from _him_.

"Shikamaru!" Ino launched herself at a man with a black hair in an imitation of a pineapple, everything about his stance suggested that he was bored. If I hadn't seen a little quirk of his lips when Ino had hugged him in addition to the wandering hand that caused to Ino to squeal in mock outrage which led to a low chuckle, I would've believed it.

I smiled into the rim of my glass. While I might not believe in love for myself, I loved seeing it with other people.

"You have to meet Jenny!" I glanced up at the sound of my name to see the beaming blonde dragging her boyfriend, saying something that sounded almost like "how troublesome" before giving me the most fake smile I have ever seen.

I guessed it wasn't because he didn't like me but because he was forced to do so by the overpowering girlfriend.

"Hey," I gave a small wave before taking Ino's shot.

"Hey!" Ino protested, swatting me on the back of my head. I hissed in pain.

Rubbing the back of my head, I stalked up from my position to get the next round, not with my money, but with Ino's.

The bartender gave me a more confident smirk this time as he pushed the tray towards me and I returned with a cheeky wink before swaggering off.

Now thinking about it, you would have wondered why I would be leading this man on, but my reasoning was that I was laying the ground work for a future tumble between the sheets.

I walked back to the table to see it completely crowded. Sakura, Ino and Shikamaru were still there but now there was a Naruto loudly laughing while sipping on a pint and Sasuke brooded next to him also nursing a beer. There was a chubby man, one wearing sun glasses in the dark which made no logical sense, it was like he was trying to be in the Blues Brothers or something.

Then there was a guy with red fangs on his face and with an uproarious laugh I saw he had larger canines than normal. I felt a slight rush of heat when he raised his hand to rub heartily at his already messy brown locks and I saw his black t-shirt rise up and a flat plane of muscles was exposed.

I regained my senses when I spied a small black haired girl hiding close to where Naruto was slapping the small high table and I placed the next round on the table.

I heard a husky, rasped voice ask someone near him "Who's the blue haired beauty?"

I pretended to be oblivious and feigning innocence, I stretched my arms above my head, pushing my chest forward, slightly arching my back pushing my breasts and butt out. Before reaching down for a shot glass, with the cover of an innocent glance around, I made eye contact with this man as I slowly licked my hand. His light brown eyes seized on the action before giving me a cocky smirk.

I turned away with my own secret quirk of the corner of my tinted lips before I salted, giving another languid lick of the bitter salt before shooting the amber liquid back and sucking on the lime.

I began on my second quickly after, revelling in the numbness in my skin, my first sign that I was quickly getting intoxicated. I was a light weight at heart.

I caught sight of my still bandaged arms when I pretended a coy glance at the ground, horror stabbed my heart. Why was I even bothering? Who would want me with these disgusting scars?

Another side effect of getting drunk means those hardened walls against the bad memories liquefy and they come roaring back. I grabbed the next shot in earnest.

The bitter liquid burned on its way down and I welcomed the relief. I heard Sakura cut off from the side. While I wasn't exactly paying close attention, you couldn't hear her high voice in the back ground any longer, even under the thrum of the loud music.

I looked curiously over to where she was standing and where her eyes were locked. Following her gaze, taking another shot, I saw familiar grey hair making its way to the bar.

I tracked Ino's hand as it patted Sakura on the shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile. "Come on Forehead. Man up. I'm sure if you asked nicely, Jenny would help you apologise to Kakashi, you, know, put in a good word for you?" Ino turned her made up eyes to me, a pointed expression on her face.

I turned to look at Sakura and saw her sorrowful expression and steeling myself for a very awkward situation I nodded and beckoned with my hand.

"Yeah, I don't know how much help I'll be, but I think you guys should get this straightened out," I winced at the false sounding speech and ran away before they would catch onto this.

Dodging past the gyrating bodies and the awkward conversation, I stumbled my way until I was right in front of Kakashi who had his porn book out while he waited for the drinks to be made along with his friends.

"Hey!" I shouted over the loud music.

Kakashi raised his eye to look at me and I saw the welcoming eye crinkle. "Yo."

I rolled my eyes, "So are you following me now?" then I made sure to give a sly glance to his surrounding friends who still hadn't noticed me. "Or are you introducing me to these fine men?"

At the sound of 'men', those in question swivelled their heads around to face me.

"And who might this lady be, Kakashi?" A man chewing on what looked to be a needle, shot me a foxy smirk.

"Better yet, where have you been hiding her?" said another with a scar heading straight across his nose.

I flushed when I looked at the surrounding group. I pushed myself to my tip toes to hiss in Kakashi's ear: "Why the fuck did you not tell me your friends were so attractive?" I gave his arm a slight punch, "Otherwise I would have pushed harder on the no sex rule tonight!"

"No sex rule?" I blushed and turned to the man who I hadn't noticed on the other side of Kakashi, who from where I was standing smelled strongly of smoke even over the sticky scent of the club. His beard was cut near to his jaw and his black hair was dotted with grey strands.

"What is she to you old man?" the bearded man continued to tease. "Some illegitimate child from past excursions maybe? Hmmmm?"

Kakashi said nothing as he turned to pick up his beer from the sticky bar top. I looked to Kakashi, waiting for him to say that I was his roommate. I frowned when the pause grew. Turning to the man, I gave a broad smile and held out my hand while the other curled a blue strand conveniently in front of my breast, drawing the eye to the cleavage.

"I'm Jenny," my smile widening when the man took my hand, his eyes only darting for a moment to my breasts. "I'm his new roommate."

"Asuma," his smile copied mine and his grip was firm on my hand. "Jail bait?"

I rolled my eyes good naturedly. "Twenty three actually."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," another voice popped up behind me and I turned to see the man with the scar crossing across the bridge of his nose to either cheeks. "I'm Iruka."

I beamed and took the proffered hand. "Jenny, the Non-Jail-Bait."

Iruka raised his eyebrow, letting his palm linger against mine. "Was that a hint there? Would you like a drink?"

I raised my eyebrows in return. "Maybe. But that drink does sound good right about now."

Iruka shot me a smirk. "Then what are you drinking?"

I beamed and settled on a bar stool next to Kakashi which was curiously absent. "I'll take a cider then please."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kakashi slowly shaking his head, his eye riveted on the orange book in front of him. While Iruka was busy I subtly leaned over and whisper-shouted in his ear.

"Sakura is coming over to apologise," I swallowed the bad taste in my mouth when I continued, "she seemed sincere." I forced out.

Kakashi didn't show a sign of acknowledging me and I leant in again to repeat it but Kakashi placed his hand on my shoulder pushing me back again, his dark grey eye seeming menacing in the strobe lights. I caught my breath at the slight contact and ignored the harsh scents lingering everywhere.

"I heard you," Kakashi said before continuing with his book.

I waited, looking for any sign of reacting. When none came, I punched his bicep hard and fast, trying my best to ignore any extra senses coming into play.

"So what do you want me to do?" I asked impatiently. "She is waiting for me to give some kind of signal."

I tried to hide the bitterness in my voice. I couldn't help it. I tried to beat it out of my skull but I couldn't help it. But how could a man as attractive as him go for someone as selfish as Sakura? Why not someone who wouldn't mind having that every day to wake up to? Heavens knows that I would tap that every second of the day.

I mentally bitch slapped myself at the weird thought, it was going against every rule I have ever given myself. One: no sleeping with roommates. Two: no sleeping with friends-slash-best-friends. Three: no sleeping with people who have saved your life multiple times.

Admittedly the latter was a new development.

"Give the signal for her to come over then," Kakashi said snapping his book closed to give me the full attention of his grey eye. I swallowed the flush given by my drunken libido.

I nodded and snapped a sloppy salute. "Sir, yes sir."

Kakashi rolled his eye and turned to swig a large gulp of beer. "No one likes a smart arse."

"You this obedient in bed too?" a voice said behind me.

Startled, I swirled around, my heels making the ground uneven leaving me to stumble. I felt the now familiar large hand pressing to the side of my waist keeping me upright from behind me. I sent a drunken smile behind me to Kakashi before turning forwards again to face whoever caused me to turn around in the first place.

My eyes were directly at the chest and my eyes followed the bitter bones up to the scarred face.

"Here's your drink," Iruka continued cheerfully, handing me a sweating glass full of the alcohol.

I sent him a smile again before looking over my shoulder to where Sakura was and when I caught her eye I nodded towards Kakashi before turning back to my drink's patron.

"So are you ninja or civilian?" Iruka leant an elbow on the counter top, excluding the others from our talk. I took a sizeable gulp of my cider.

"Civilian, but I don't mind. I had my chance at ninja but…" I shrugged evasively, slowly turning my arms to hide behind my back. I averted my gaze to the bar and started downing my drink wishing for a headier haze.

Iruka with the speed of Kakashi instantly grabbed my bandaged wrist and brought it forward for inspection. "So what happened to a civilian that involves full arm coverage?"

Iruka looked up at me, probably expecting some sort of glamourous story filled with self depreciative humour. Instead I gave a dismissive laugh and tried to tug my wrist out of his hold.

"Oh you know, this and that, something I won't bore you with." I tried twisting my wrist to see if that would loosen his grip. To be frank, the shots I had already done before Kakashi and his friends came meant that I was getting tearful and my head felt loose on my shoulders as I tried to break his hold.

Slowly, the panic was starting to overwhelm me. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat but I couldn't help but think back to when that man held me.

"_We'll have to test this theory," he said cruelly, his grip punishing on my forearm, holding it steady even though my wrist was already encased in binds. My struggling was always the preliminary before he jabbed the knife in harshly into my arm. _

_I shrieked as I felt the burning seizing through my body, contorting my back until it was u shaped. He left the knife in. _

_I screamed as I felt my skin trying to sew itself together but tried to do it over the sharp metal, simultaneously pushing the blade further into my arm in addition to cutting the fresh skin that was trying to stitch over it. Hotness welled in my eyes and my nose was stuffy with mucus from all my sobs. _

_I could feel the rivulets of water streaking down my face as I continued to brokenly beg-_

"Come on firefly, I think I need to organise my book shelf tonight," a voice tore me viciously out of my memory like that knife.

I turned my watering blue gaze towards the touch on my arm which was amplifying all my emotions and I couldn't help but feel the jab of warmth in my heart which I identified as relief. Over his shoulder I saw a gaping Sakura who I could see even in my inebriated state was trying to cover her anger and hurt by focusing her sympathy on me. Maybe I was wrong about Sakura. Sure she was ninja, but she was human too. We all made mistakes.

"But Kakashi we just got here!" Iruka protested.

I gave a grateful smile to Kakashi, ignoring Iruka to take Kakashi's offered hand with vigour. I sent an apologetic glance to Sakura before continuing on behind Kakashi's wake and out of the club into the humid night air, barely a relief from my sweaty skin.

The walk back across town was riddled with the obstacles of the pavement, heels and ethanol running through my blood stream. Oh and my unsatisfied libido.

I stumbled again, almost falling to my knees and if it wasn't for Kakashi who placed a supporting, tingling hand around my waist, I would have been lying flat on my face.

Kakashi gave a huff of annoyance before looping my arm around his neck and began to haul me home.

"Sorry," I muttered, lowering my head further in shame.

I felt the hand on my waist release me for only a moment. But my unbalanced equilibrium caused me to swing hard into Kakashi's chest with a slight 'umph!'.

I looked up through my lashes to see Kakashi's hand ruffle my head fondly. I nuzzled into his chest. "You are the best," I slurred.

Kakashi gave a chest rumbling chuckle and wrapped his hand around my waist again and we continued this awkward lope home.

My head was swimming with the alcohol that I could barely think more than trying to put the foot in front of the other, but I swear that every time I tried to place my foot on the blurry ground it tilted to the side.

I barely remember the walk home other than walking up the sneaky steps which were dangerous sober but were lethal with alcohol running through my veins. I was focusing so much on the need to rely on Kakashi that I wasn't focusing on the steep and narrow steps that I tripped and with a cry my knees collided with the edge of the neighbouring steps.

I hissed in pain, rubbing my sore knee cap. I glanced up and saw Kakashi in the same place as me, just leaning on the opposite railing, cradling his own knee. Before I could help it, I let out a drunken snort. Kakashi looked up at the loud noise in the dark.

"What?" he asked curiously.

I shook my head, giggling and lifted my hand to bat away the comment easily. "Nothing important."

Kakashi rolled his head back until it rested against the metal rail. "You might as well get it out before we go in. It would just keep you giggling," He said tiredly.

I took in a deep breath. "You just looked so surprised and confused, sort of like a baby who dropped its toy and isn't sure how to deal with it," my peals of laughter rebounded around the concrete structure. "Priceless. A man with a freaky red eye-"

"Sharigan," Kakashi cut in, irritation leaking in his tone.

"A body of a model-"

"Well I try."

"Probably not a man of many flaws-"

"Very true," Kakashi looked over at me amusedly, his chest puffing larger.

"Can't stand on his own!" I finished with a crow, clapping to myself and almost rolled back down the stairs if I hadn't placed a reassuring hand down on the step below me. My leg accidently in my flailing kicked near Kakashi's sprawled limbs.

Kakashi just looked down at me, amusement on his face. "It isn't actually as insulting, factually true or amusing as you think it is firefly. You really can't handle your drink." He said absently, "You were there for a what? An hour?"

I shook my head and tilted my head to look up the remaining death trap of steps we had to make up. I chomped my mouth, trying to work some saliva up in the dry cavern. I pouted when this didn't work. I really wanted that drink of water. One where there was condensation running down the sides, sweating in the humid air while I had no dress to speak of killing me slowly with its constrictions.

The desire for that glass of water was too large to ignore and I wonkily began to crawl up the stairs.

"Jenny," Kakashi sighed. "What are you doing?"

"Getting," I huffed. This whole climbing up the stairs idea might be harder than I originally thought, especially with no grip heels. "Up…ngh… the… stairs…"

I hooked my elbow on the highest stair that I finally reached and sighed with relief as I tried to wriggle my butt higher to move forward. I halted when I heard muffled laughter behind me. Annoyed I turned to see what was happening to see Kakashi's eye locked on my form and was clutching his black clothed, flat stomach and was tilting his head back as the other hand clamped on his mouth, barely holding in the laughter.

I puffed in irritation and continued to struggle to pull myself forward.

This continued for what felt like hours when I felt a vitalising hand push my rump forward, assisting me to finally catch my knee over the side too.

I froze. Rolling onto my back I looked up into Kakashi's dark eye and I couldn't help that little flush of heat which accompanied his touch.

"Come on, firefly, might as well get you to bed. The perverts will be patrolling." Kakashi swept his hand under my knees and shoulders and lifted me up with ease.

I gasped and my dizzy head lolled even further onto Kakashi's shoulder, my nose inadvertently leaning into the fabric of his mask at his neck emitting that unique scent of _tea tree and spearmint… mmmmmm…._

"Jenny?" Kakashi's voice broke through my thoughts. I didn't stop my nuzzling, but made a little whimper to signify that I had heard him.

"What are you doing?"

"Sniffing you," I burrowed my nose further into his neck, my cheek lazing on his shoulder bone that even through the top I could feel was layered with muscle.

"Oh good glad we cleared that up," Kakashi said sarcastically, before resting some of my weight on his knee as he rummaged on his person for the keys.

With some shifting he finally unlocked the door and he trusted me by setting me on my feet alone and with one reassuring hand to the shoulder he walked off to his bedroom.

I watched him or more specifically I watched his butt and couldn't help but wistfully think of his bare one I saw just that morning.

I fanned my face, and in my state, I almost smacked myself in the cheek. With a glare at the offending hand I lurched towards the kitchen for that mouth-watering glass of water.

I sighed in relief as I palmed off my heels allowing the balls of my feet to rest from the never ending agony, I finally gulped down the water. But there was something not right. I frowned.

Then realisation hit me: my dress needed to be off.

Taking dresses off are always easier than putting them on and with the grinding of metal released, the navy fabric flopped to the floor.

Humming to myself, satisfied, I took the glass and guzzled the remaining liquid and refilled it quickly afterwards. Hearing nothing I continued to stand half naked in the bright kitchen until I heard a kind of strangled gasp. I whirled around to see Kakashi in the door way, his eyes following my form.

"Why is it that when you get drunk, you feel the need to take your clothes off all the time!" Kakashi said in exasperation, lowering his hands to the bottom of his shirt and began rolling it up and over his torso.

While sober I would have the decency not to check at his lower face but intoxicated, my morals were buried deep inside and were unlikely to come out.

I was severely disappointed because when he brought his clothes out of his face I saw, much to my chagrin that he was wearing a secondary mask just circling the lower half of his face and back of his neck.

I pouted.

"But that's no fair," I whined and padded my way across the lino.

I trailed my hand up the invisible line from his navel to rest in his clavicle, my other hand caressing the rough lower plane of his stomach one of my fingers continually catching at the waistband of his trousers.

Kakashi's voice hitched before securing my wrist in one hand. "What's not fair?"

"I haven't seen your face!" I cried out and my eyes then began to leak. "For all I know, you could be a sick, sadistic, a pervert-"

"But I am a pervert!"

"I meant a _real_ one," I choked out rolling my eyes and covered my face in my hands. "Although you do nice things like covering my arms when you didn't have to all I can think of is that-that _man_. I can't help but think about how you could do the same things just as easily. Like maybe you could have saved me as a ruse to just continue the experiment. I can't help but think: _what are you even getting out of this?!_"

My shoulders shook as I cried into my hands. I felt the soothing relief of fabric against my skin. I looked up confused and was smothered as I felt the neck of Kakashi's shirt go over my nose and rest on my shoulders, dwarfing them.

Gently, Kakashi picked up my arms and slid them one by one through their holes until I was covered in this shroud.

Carefully, so as not to startle me, Kakashi reeled me in until his big hands rested chastely behind me, one between my shoulder blades the other above my lower back resting his cheek hesitantly on the top of my sweaty, wet head.

"The man has been caught. Jenny-chan is safe. Little firefly is safe, safe with her entirely inappropriate underwear for a woman of your age," I rolled my eyes but allowed myself to rest in his encompassing warmth, winding my arms tightly around his waist. "And to answer your question 'what am I getting out of this?'"

He paused, thinking about it.

"Well the simple answer is," Kakashi lowered his voice, his breathing catching on my sensitive ear, "I am getting that lovely fuchsia silk bra and thong set and-"

Outraged I shoved Kakashi back a bit but I couldn't help the laughter at him forcing its way out of my raw throat. "God you pervert!"

"I thought you said I wasn't a real one?" Kakashi asked, his eye crinkling.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. "Well I'm taking that back right now!"

Kakashi chuckled again and pulled me into another squirming hug, this time me not reciprocating.

"In all seriousness, what I'm getting out of this is a companion who, despite my pervert tendencies, still lives with me and is a closet pervert too, who I can compare views on a particular sex scene."

I huffed, but I couldn't help the small smile on my face as I muttered to the floor beneath our feet. "Pervert."

Kakashi rewarded me with one more eye crinkle before ruffling my hair. "You would be bored without it."

Internally I grudgingly agreed with him. Outwardly, I huffed, spinning around and with the tequila and cider roaring in between my ears, the room spun too causing me to stumble and almost fall to the floor.

The expected hands pressed into my stomach holding me upright. "Kami, we really need to teach you how to drink."

"No, I wanted it like this," I slurred, trying to worm my way out of his grip.

"Wanted what like this?" Kakashi asked confused.

I finally wriggled my way out of the circle he made and sloppily filled up my glass with water again. Something to distract me.

"I wanted to be drunk tonight, I wanted to have meaningless sex tonight and then walk home satisfied and on my way to recovering." I swallowed the lump of grief again.

From behind me, I felt Kakashi's presence looming before I felt hesitant hand on my shoulder.

"It seems a good idea at the time but alcohol and sex never is the best medicine." He said lowly, his voice gruff.

I sniffled and gave up the pretence of drinking, gripping the side for dear life, feeling my knees becoming weak. "There never is a good medicine, so I need to self-medicate."

My breath caught in my throat as a thought crossed my mind. I was already drunk but maybe the meaningless sex isn't as far off as I thought…

Turning slowly, Kakashi was as close as I thought, barely a few centimetres away from me. I placed a palm over one pec, feeling the muscles with a light press.

Thinking that I was pushing him away he backed off a step.

I followed, my eyes never once leaving his chest from where I was trailing my hand to his sternum. "I may be drunk, but maybe we can…" I trailed off, leaving what was unspoken smoking in the air around us.

I finally dared the blearily looking up at Kakashi and was surprised to see he wasn't immediately rejecting me. Encouraged I leaned in and placed a kiss right on his sternum. This seemed to kick Kakashi into reacting.

Kakashi placed his hands on the sides of my shoulders. "Wait-"

He broke off with a hiss when I gave a bite to his nipple. I lapped it into my mouth, soothing it with a massage with my wet tongue. It was so hot in the kitchen and I felt my thong dampening.

While that was happening, I moved my leg in between his rubbing slightly, trying to relieve some of my sexual frustration. I could feel him reacting. I moved my kiss to his shoulder and upwards until my mouth was rubbing against the edge of his mask.

My hand moved to his scarred lower back, my hand going into his waist band, the other playing with the buckle of his belt.

Pushing myself to my toes I huffed in his ear, and I could have sworn I saw a bright light after all this proximity. Distracting myself I sucked his ear lobe into my mouth, catching the skin with my teeth. Kakashi still did nothing.

Pushing courage up from unknown reserves, I moved so my nose brushed his and I slowly leaned in to press my lips to his, my eyes open all the while. My bright blue looking into Kakashi's darkening, droop grey one.

Finally my lips landed on his. I stopped just like that, waiting for Kakashi to shove me away.

He did nothing.

Tentatively I stroked his hair away from his face and began to move my lips against his covered ones. My senses were spiking and I could feel the very fibre of his mask and I applied more pressure, both body and lips.

I could feel tingles from my breasts as they were squeezed between our bodies and I couldn't help the breathy moan when Kakashi slowly but surely moved his palms to my waist where his thumbs traced the underwire of my bra.

I gradually rubbed my entire body against his, wanting that friction. In the quiet of the kitchen it was broken by my little gasps and slowly Kakashi's low grumbles of what I think was pleasure.

Daring, I brought my own palm to rub against the rough fabric of his trousers where a bulge was beginning. I lowered my lips to suck on his neck again. While revelling in the power of making Kakashi like his, his groans louder in my ear and finally I felt his own lips sucking my subtle flesh in his mouth before releasing it gently.

I moaned. My head lolling between my shoulder blades presenting my neck for further ministrations which Kakashi obliged me.

I moaned again when I felt the rough nip of fabric and between grasping my collar bone. "Kakashi…"

There was something in the back of my mind that was telling me this was wrong. _But how on earth could this be wrong? _

While I was swirling my thoughts in my head, Kakashi began to grind against me, prying my legs further apart and pressing me hard against the sink behind me, the cool metal a complete juxtaposition from the flaming body in front of me, every time his body brushed against me it was like I had pins and needles all over me.

I swear every time I opened my eyes the world was coloured in a pink hue.

_Wait… pink hue? _

…_Pink…_

…_.hair….._

_SHIT! SAKURA! _

"Wait, Sakura…" I tried to garble out but I could barely focus as Kakashi was nosing right between my breasts, so close to the painful pricks that my nipples were making through the shirt.

Kakashi groaned and I know this time it wasn't because of anything sexual.

"You're right," Kakashi sighed, not yet moving from his position of paying homage to my breasts. They ached with the need for him to move his head slightly to the left or the right. His moist breath left me dizzy and I dumbly tried to push him away again.

Straightening, Kakashi placed a hand on the back of his neck. "I'm sorry."

I shook my head, my vision already feeling less focused now that I wasn't with contact with him. I already felt more sober, with my adrenaline pumping through me and to a certain… _ahem_, area.

"No it was my fault, being so bloody selfish and _knowing_ she was my friend as well!" I hid my blushing face in my hands. "I am a despicable human being."

"I think we are both to blame. Don't worry," Kakashi said reassuringly, rubbing my scalp good naturedly. "I shouldn't have done it because it was taking advantage of you and you shouldn't have done it because of you're still recovering."

I nodded the sexual flush still evident on my cheeks. "Yes, maybe we should just not tell anyone this happened? I know Sakura would be really hurt."

Kakashi nodded too.

I gave a smile and although I was reluctant, I placed a hand on his shoulder and said:

"I know you don't believe her but Sakura really does want to try again and to be honest I think she makes you happy despite your better judgement."

Kakashi gave a little laugh before ruffling my hair one more time and walked out of the room to the bedroom.

I sighed, rubbing my face, when my hand pulled away with was covered in a black mess. I groaned, face palming probably smearing my make up even worse.

_Oh, well_, I thought, heading towards the couch to make my bed.

While we agreed we wouldn't sleep together, I knew that for Sakura, I needed to control myself. That meant no close contact if I could help it because frankly, while Kakashi would be able to not let this affect our relationship, I couldn't be so sure for myself.

I felt of dart of electricity go down to my crotch remembering his hard body pressing against mine, his mouth biting down on my skin…

I fanned myself, picking up one of Kakashi's t-shirts from the table before curling up on the couch. I frowned and turned this way and that trying to get comfortable and with an irritable sigh I reached behind me to unclip my bra, my breasts finally out of their jail.

I finally nuzzled into the flat cushions, relieved and relaxed. Not as comfortable as his bed, I thought to myself mournfully before closing my eyes.

"Jenny?" Kakashi called from presumably the bedroom. "Are you not coming to bed?"

I gave a vague wave over the lip of the couch, my limbs beginning to ache from exhaustion of the entire day. "We need to be serious about Sakura, so we need to sleep in different areas."

"Jenny, don't be stupid," Kakashi said exasperated. "You aren't going to be able to sleep like this."

"Watch me," I mumbled petulantly, burying my face further into the couch, turning my back on him.

I felt a sigh brush the back of my neck, before the sofa squeaked as Kakashi rested his body on it.

"What are you doing?"

"Sleeping," Kakashi said quietly. He wriggled his feet further into my face.

"I don't want you here!" I finally protested.

"So you are saying, you don't want me to stay with you?" Kakashi asked knowingly.

I started to argue back but then my tense body slumped and even buried my face into his trousers.

"Stay with me," I mumbled.

"Sorry what was that?" Kakashi asked, amusement colouring his tone. "I don't think I caught that."

"Stay with me!" I burst out loudly. I blushed, thanking the dark for covering me and my embarrassment.

We were quiet for a while, a little longer and I would have thought that he was already going to sleep.

"That was all you had to say," Kakashi said quietly, his hand rubbed my calf soothingly. "I'm used to this. Don't ever be embarrassed about asking for comfort. You don't want to end up like me."

We were quiet for a few minutes.

"Kakashi?"

"Mmm?"

"Thank you."


	6. Cosplay? Count Me In!

Cosplay? Count Me In!

"**Stay with me!" I burst out loudly. I blushed, thanking the dark for covering me and my embarrassment. **

**We were quiet for a while. A little longer and I would have thought that he was already going to sleep. **

"**That was all you had to say," Kakashi said quietly, his hand rubbed my calf soothingly. "I'm used to this. Don't ever be embarrassed about asking for comfort. You don't want to end up like me." **

**We were quiet for a few minutes. **

"**Kakashi?" **

"**Mmm?" **

"**Thank you." **

…o0o…

I groaned as light filtered bright on my face.

"Ahhh," I groaned, shading my face with my hand. "What is this evil?"

"It's something called a hang over," I heard a voice reply to me blearily from the other end of the sofa. "I think someone is coming through the door."

I groaned again, flopping back down on my cushion, trying to find an angle where I could get the sunlight out of my eyes.

"I don't get hang overs anymore. Self-healing body remember? But I agree," I yawned, hearing the rattle of a key going in multiple times. "But that noise is pretty annoying."

"Kakashi?" a familiar voice called through the door. "I'm coming in."

In my stuffy mind, it didn't really occur to me who it could've been until their pink hair was visible and they gasped in now recognisable outrage.

"What is this?" Sakura cried, her eyes already watering up her eyes zoning in on my removed bra lying haphazardly on the low table.

I could see where she was coming from, I really could. We were as close as sardines in a tin and I was wearing her boyfriend's shirt and had no visible shorts on. _Because I wasn't wearing any,_ I thought to myself in dread.

The fact that we were at opposite ends of the sofa was irrelevant, the simple fact was that Kakashi was bare from his waist upwards and I was naked from the waist downwards.

I hurriedly tried to get up and managed to crumple to the floor in an ungainly heap.

"And you aren't even wearing knickers!" Sakura shrieked.

I winced. While not hung over, I still felt dull, like I was a piece of silver that hadn't seen the light in a while and had become tarnished.

"Thong," I managed out, turning my head to look up at Sakura's reddening face. "Nothing happened I promise! In fact, I'll let you guys talk it out because I-uh-need to-um-"

I hesitated, frantically trying to think of an excuse before I spotted a pair of running shorts flopping out of the plastic shopping bag. I snapped my fingers.

"Yes! That's it! I have to-_need_ _to_-go out for my run so I'm going go to get changed, bye!"

Skipping over to my bag of sports gear, I all but sprinted into the bathroom, changing with a speed that a cheetah would envy and was knotting up the laces of my trainers when the door opened and I saw Kakashi leaning in the door.

"You don't have to leave for us," he said quietly. Obviously Sakura was nearby.

I shook my head before he had even finished speaking. "It's alright, you guys _really_ need to hash things out. This is just going to be a wank load of awkward if we don't deal with while the wounds fresh otherwise it becomes infected and festers."

"How metaphorical of you," Kakashi commented dryly.

Walking up to him, I patted his cheek patronisingly. "Well, I do try," I said walking past him and into the living room. "Okay see you guys in either twenty minutes or however long it pleases me!"

Giving a little wave, I was almost out of the door when I heard my name.

I looked back to see Kakashi coming out of the bedroom and dangled a chain with a number of keys hanging off the edge in front of my face before shoving it in my hand.

"So you can get back in," he clarified, giving me a little nudge the rest of the way out of the door.

I dumbly held the variety of different keys, watching the door being shut in my face. There was a moment of stunned silence before I could hear murmurs through the door which kick started me into moving away, delicately stepping down the stairs before I paused to stretch.

Finding there was a neat long chain leading to the keys, I looped it over my head in an odd necklace that I knew I was going to regret wearing it when I actually began to jog.

That was a predicament, I thought to myself. Which way was I going to run?

Shrugging, I took off towards to the market, it was a good fifteen minutes walking, running maybe half that. Maybe I could browse the products when I got there?

I continued with me just focusing on the steady thrumming and warming of my muscles, despite my dull feeling. I couldn't help but revel in the steady pump of my heart sending rich, red, oxygenated blood throughout my body.

I inhaled deeply trying to scent everything around me and was so distracted that I didn't realise I was at the market place so soon only a slight sheen of sweat, telling me I was working.

Frowning, not really winded, I continued on past.

On past Midnight Lace down some roads where it began to get even livelier and from what I could tell it was now where the cafes and the restaurants resided, with their patrons weaving in and out and between the other people, milling in their daily life.

I began to feel the pain of a stitch and I slowed down to massage that spot just below my rib with a grimace before I began to examine all the different shops with interest.

There were different cafes and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw some were themed, some were butler cafes, others were orientated around the servicemen just wearing glasses.

I flushed when one man sent my sweaty, apres club and run body, a wink and a flick of their floppy black hair.

Continuing on, I saw the difference in clientele on each side of the street. On the right it seemed the women and girls alike wandered, casually walking into the male eye candy cafes while the men and boys chattered eagerly on the left side of the street, all but swaggering into the shops where I saw the women in scantily clad clothes served in tea houses.

Gaping, I breached the gap in the segregation between the genders and walked to where I thought I saw Ino bustling past the inviting window display.

Pushing the door open, the tinkling of a bell alerted my presence to the blonde who at the sight of another customer turned her annoyed look towards me until she saw my dishevelled form she actually cried out in relief her French maid uniform, rustling as she threw herself into my arms.

"Oh thank Kami!" Ino almost sobbed into my shoulder, "I have never been so happy to see another human being in my entire life!"

I pushed her away slightly, eyeing the rest of the room pointedly, the boys salivating as Ino's maid uniform inched that little bit higher showing her garters.

"They don't count!" Ino fisted her hands on her hips, flicking her fringe irritably out of her eyes. "But I am not above begging."

I raised my eyebrow in question.

"I may or may not have fired my assistant, so now I am without any workers and she was the only one out of the two of us who could even bake!" Ino seemed on the verge of tears. "So I am begging you, as newly acquired friends," she took a fortifying breath. "Can you please help me today?"

I paused, allowing Ino to sweat it out a bit.

"Do I get to wear the uniform?" I asked solemnly.

She looked confused and hesitantly said, "yes?"

I instantly grinned which Ino soon mirrored and dragged my arm to the back room where I heard the protests of the other patrons.

Shoving me out the side door, she jogged through the little alley way before jingling her keys in a clear door with bars welded in front of the glass.

Then there was a series of narrow stairs, internally I sighed.

What about this place meant that you could have shit stairs?

Honestly, I was seriously going to trip and then damage myself, just to prove a point but I knew Ino really needed my help this time so I continued on my dangerous walk up the stairs.

We finally reached the top of the concrete stairs and Ino rummaged around in her breasts for another key which she produced with a flourish and put it in the lock.

With a click, the door swung open and she proceeded to drag me to a bathroom where Ino ordered me "Strip. Clean. Uniform outside the door."

With that Ino rushed out again, leaving me stunned and just when I was about to go after her, I heard the door slam.

Sighing to myself I quickly did as she ordered, scrubbing all the sweat off my body and changed quickly into my outfit including garters. With a grimace I replaced my sweaty knickers on again not confident enough to go commando.

Luckily the shoes she lent me were my size and it almost creeped me out how in sync she was, although the shoes weren't the heels that she was wearing.

Pushing my blue wet hair into two pony tails just behind the frilly white lace hat, I soldiered to the door, tying my apron around my waist as I went.

Carefully walking down the narrow stairs, the only thing making it better than Kakashi's was that it didn't have cracks or weeds going out of it to trip you to send you to your death.

Tentatively pushing through the barred door, nothing giving me the confidence more than the thought that someone wasn't going to come out and stab me.

With a dainty toe peeking through the gap and finding it not with me lying in a pool of my own blood, I sprinted to the side door and ducked down into a kitchen where smoke was escaping and the smell of burnt sugar overwhelmed everything else.

Coughing, I left the window open and dashed to the oven to save the confectionary.

"Gah!" I wheezed, abandoning the flaming tray outside, stamping on the, what looked to be, croissants on the floor, tamping out the flames.

With a sigh, I looked at the pitiful pastry, shaking my head.

I felt a presence join me at my side, I looked up and saw Ino's face.

"I can't cook can I?"

Slowly I shook my head as she forlornly bowed her head for a moment before she lighted up again.

"But that's why you are here," she said determined. "You are going to cook so many come worthy crumpets that this place is going to be dripping white!"

I gaped at her in horrified amusement before I gave into the giggles that were overwhelming me. Patting her on the shoulder, I fanned my way into the smoky room, immediately reaching for the mixing bowls and the ingredients littered all over the work surfaces.

With a horrified gasp I quickly darted to the scales where in a fit of anger had been thrown against a wall. With small whimpers, I stroked it as if it had feelings.

"What are you doing?" Ino yelled as she bustled past the door, giving the men their beverages.

"Apologising to this poor thing that had to undergo your bad temper!" I yelled back, continuing to clean.

"Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't know!" she retorted. "Get back to the cooking!"

Rolling my eyes and grumbling, I turned to wiping down the surface before washing my hands and turning to make the batter. I didn't need scales any way. They were more of a guideline than an actual measure of tastiness, I thought to myself with a smirk leaning into the fridge to remove the ingredients from its hungry belly.

The familiar feeling of beating the butter and sugar together into a sugary yellow paste and placing chocolate chips in, giving a mild case of the brown chicken pox gave me a little joy and I couldn't help but hum to myself feeling myself fall into the familiar role.

"We need more crumpets Lightbulb!" Ino called through the door, whisking away the tray of freshly baked cookies.

I growled.

"Watch who you are calling Lightbulb, Dandelion!" I yelled back, over the sound of the whisk.

There was a squeal and the sound of a clatter. I froze.

She better not have let my cookies spill. I turned back to stirring the mixture but I couldn't help but wonder.

She wouldn't have…?

Dropping my wooden spoon I raced out to the front where I saw Ino gratefully thanking a man, the tray of cookies all piled on the tray still with the other men of the room salivating over the smell.

"The cookies…" I trailed off when I saw that it was the man with the fangs on his face and I couldn't help but flush at my ratty form.

I hurriedly wiped my sweaty palms with the tea towel which I had mistakenly thought would save those little circles of goodness and held out my probably still dusty hand.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I have seen you around…" I trailed off and cocked my head to the side as if I was suddenly remembering.

The tanned man took it upon himself to make the introduction and sidestepped Ino stretching out his beautifully corded arm leading to a large hand.

"I'm Kiba," he said, giving me a roguish grin, showing his fangs.

I smiled coyly, trying to seem embarrassed.

Hell, who was I even kidding? I was already humiliated that I was caught without make up, flushed and probably covered in flour and batter.

The only thing that could make this worse is if he saw my knickers. While there were garters in the uniform, it was connected to an elastic belt that tightens around the midriff but the knickers are the same gross sweaty granny white ones. But no one was going to see them right?

I had to tempt fate now, didn't I?

A fellow of about fifteen had been sneaking up behind me and just as I was about to shake his hand dug his hand up my frilly skirt pushing it up to my waist showing the monstrosities to the entire café which with the perv aside, was filled with _very_ attractive men.

I squawked in horror and covered my face as I ran to the kitchen to hide.

I could feel my face burning up. Maybe I could sneak away to get my sweaty gross clothes and then I could run to the flat, hide there and never come out again?

Internally, I thought this was a brilliant plan but for the sake of appearing sane, I didn't want to seem… like a bat shit crazy hermit, I think it is referred to.

Shaking my head, making my long, blue pony tails snap around my shoulders.

"Just man the fuck up," I hissed to myself, angrily rolling out the sweet dough for the bread I was making simultaneously as the scones before I was interrupted.

"What has the dough ever done to you?" A particularly, rugged, tanned hand reached out to pause my hand that was brutally beating it until it was as thin as a pancake.

Growling, I balled it into a ball again and threw it back on the table, before I looked up to look into the grinning face of Kiba.

"It existed," I said flippantly. My cheeks still flagging red in mortification over the past event.

Kiba nodded solemnly before smirking and rolled up his impossibly tight black long sleeved t-shirt and began to put different elements for some kind of confectionary.

Confused, I turned back to focusing on the bread and was rolling out carefully.

What was he doing? I was peeking out from under my eyelashes, trying to understand while he beat a batter that looked like the beginning of some kind of citrus cake.

"Not to be rude," I coughed, hesitating for a moment before I continued. "But what are you doing?"

Kiba looked up confused. "I am baking?"

"Yes, I see that but I meant, _why_ are you baking here?" I blushed again from my rudeness. "No-not that I don't appreciate it!"

Lord above, please send me a sign that you are witnessing my suffering and open the ground beneath me in mercy.

Kiba looked up at me from under his eyelashes to shoot me a look.

Okay, ignore me then God.

I flushed again and turned back to my dough. _Great first impression, Jenny. It's a wonder you have any friends at all._

"I'm here because Ino asked me to," he finally said through the awkward silence.

"Oh," I said knowingly, my smile coming back easier now that it was he who began the conversation. "By ask you mean, almost held you at knife point or did she use the eyes on you too?"

"The eyes," he muttered bitterly.

I laughed before placing my sweet dough on the tray for rising and turning to the batch of cookies I had started with. Quick and easy, cookies were the best for high demand.

"Well not many of us are well guarded against it!" he said defensively thinking I was teasing him.

I just shook my head, smiling. "I'm not blaming you, I lucked out within the first five seconds of the tears," I whispered conspiratorially.

Kiba gave a throaty chuckle. "Well that's a relief to my masculinity; I lasted at least half a minute."

I gave him a cheeky wink before I continued to measure everything in silence.

"So what are we meant to be making?" Kiba broke the silence again.

I shrugged, pouring in the sugar with the butter again. "I'm just making whatever I feel like a café needs." I flipped my pony tails over my shoulders by shaking them a little. "Although, at the rate we are going, I don't think we are going to have enough ingredients."

He nodded, pouring the sweet, tangy smelling batter into a baking tin.

"Where did you learn to bake?" I asked, curious. My brother Nathaniel detested anything to do with the kitchen.

I felt a pang at the loss of the stupidness that followed him everywhere. He reminded me a little of Naruto when I first met him.

Feeling a hot pressure pressing on my heart, I vigorously put my shoulder to the ground and ignored the strain of my muscles and increased the pace to make it a creamy yellow. I didn't miss him.

I didn't.

Snorting, Kiba finished smoothing the top of the cake and was moving it to one of the numerous ovens to cook. "My mother thought that a man had to learn how to look after his woman when she's feeling down."

I laughed at his obvious dubiousness.

"Well, I'm sure the woman doesn't mind." I said encouragingly.

"There is no woman," Kiba corrected lightly.

I couldn't help that little rise in my chest at the thought of having that piece of ass if he'd take me but then I took in the expression on his face.

"But there is a woman you have in mind?" I asked gently, sieving the flour on top of the sugary butter. "Unrequited love?"

Kiba's brown eyes roamed over to me. "That obvious?"

I shrugged. "There cannot be with a guy looking like you," I teased well naturedly.

Kiba gave a hearty laugh before turning to fill the sink with soapy, hot water.

"What about you?" Kiba turned the question about on me.

I snorted. "Please, I'm not exactly girlfriend material," I joked, turning so he wouldn't see my face.

"Just because you don't believe so doesn't make it true," Kiba tried to say wisely.

I batted away the comment but I kept my gaze averted as I dolloped and shaped the cookies onto a baking tray.

There was a quiet cough at the doorway and I turned to see a shy blue haired beauty, hiding half of her body behind the door.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry t-to int-t-terupt but d-do you n-n-need any help?" she smiled timidly but I couldn't look past her eyes which were the colour of pearls with maybe a hint of purple in a different light.

I couldn't see her pupils though which creeped me out a bit but I couldn't help but grin where I saw Kiba was struggling with words before he finally nodded eagerly. If he was a dog, his tongue would be lolling on the floor.

"Ah, the woman," I muttered knowingly under my breath, just for Kiba, who in return shot me a glare that would have sent me cowering if I wasn't next to the knife block.

"I-I'm H-Hinata," she offered me a milky hand and I couldn't help but feel a bit unworthy touching her with my shiny, scar tissue covered hand.

Reluctantly, I placed my hand in hers. "Jenny."

When we pulled away I saw flour covered her hand, I gasped in horror. "Oh, I am so sorry!" I cried, trying to find a clean tea towel.

Hinata giggled, the sound of wind chimes which had me mesmerised. "Oh i-i-it's fine," Hinata batted my worry away, dipping her hand in the flour and smacked it on the table. "It is k-k-kind of inevitable c-c-cooking."

I shot her a smile before turning to the doorway again to see a pink haired kunoichi.

Embarrassed, I turned back to looking needlessly into the oven. I heard her steps clicking on the floor and I ducked my head even further, rubbing my nose with my knuckle.

"Uh, Jenny if you want to come out here for a bit?" Sakura said nervously.

I peeked up at her from the corner of my eye, unsure of where we stood but when I caught the faint scent of tea tree and spearmint and I looked over her shoulder to see Kakashi leaning on the wall next to the door, orange book open in one of the final chapters.

"We want to go for a drink. Anyone?" Kakashi drawled, never once looking up from his book.

Sakura shot him an annoyed look. "Actually we have an announcement," Sakura cleared her throat.

I pretended to gasp in shock. "Please tell me you're not pregnant with that man's spawn!" I clasped my throat and looked away as if in shame.

Sakura fisted her hands on her hips angrily, ignoring the light giggles from Hinata and the less than quiet guffaws from Kiba. I couldn't help but feel the rush of relief when I heard Kakashi give one of his heart warming chest chuckles too, that he quickly tried to disguise as a cough much to Sakura's annoyance.

"She would be so lucky," Kakashi shot me a look from above his book.

Sakura scowled and threw her hands in the air. "Whatever, but what I wanted to say was we're together now!" she said exasperated.

Kiba's brow furrowed. "Who's we?"

Kakashi silently put his hand up while the other casually turned another page in his porn.

"Kakashi?" Kiba cried incredulously looking between the two.

I rolled my eyes but took out a batch of cookies from the oven and began arranging them on another tray. I saw a gloved hand trying to sneak one from right under my nose.

Never taking my eyes away from presenting the cookies beautifully I slapped Kakashi's hand hard.

Kakashi flinched away but ruffled my hair indulgently.

I ducked with a frown, trying to ignore the strong rush of pure air flooding my lungs with the now vibrant scents. I looked up at him and that was all the distraction Kakashi needed to grab a cookie and stuff it in his pocket.

"Hey!" I protested, reaching instantly to smack Kakashi in the arm. "Give that back!"

Kakashi was leaning against the counter, one hand held the counter behind him while the other cradled the book in his hand. He didn't even bother to look up as he spoke to me much to my irritation.

"Come and take it then; you know where it is," he pointed out.

While a lesser woman would be embarrassed about sticking her hand down a man's trousers, I thought me and Kakashi were beyond the point of embarrassment when it came to the other.

Inhaling deeply to control my temper I immediately stuck my hand down his trouser pocket to retrieve the fluff covered cookie, causing Kakashi's visible eye to pop wide open. I couldn't help but almost stumble at the sensation overload where I could feel the fibres of his trousers, the muscles tightening beneath my palm, the sharp focus of his black long sleeved t-shirt.

Sakura gave an outraged gasp and smacked me on the back of my head.

"Hey!" I cried, rubbing the sore spot. "It's not my fault he stole my cookie!"

Sakura raised her hand to Kakashi who caught it easily. "Not my fault she makes Cunt Clenching Cookies."

There was a stunned silence following his statement and I smacked my forehead with a batter and flour covered hand.

"Why do you hate me?" I looked upwards as if I was asking some deity.

"W-why? Just why?" Kiba croaked.

I covered my face in my palms, shaking my head.

"That's what Jenny's friends call her cookies," Kakashi said cheerfully in the ominously silent kitchen.

"I just want to point out that I don't condone the use of the c-word in my kitchen," I grumbled.

"What? Cunt?" Kiba's brow furrowed.

I scowled and raised myself so I was standing straighter and nodded primly.

"Cunt? Is that the word you don't like? Cunt? Was it cunt I heard?" Kakashi asked, feigning innocence. "Anyone here not like the word cunt?"

I glared harshly at him, just silently daring him to say it one more time.

Kakashi just grinned, deliberately turning his page with a loud rustle.

Rolling my eyes, I turned to the door. "I'll ask Ino if I can go home, I'll need to go get some clothes."

I heard the snapping of a book closed behind me and felt the light tapping of shoe soles hitting the floor behind me. So familiar with his tread, I knew it was Kakashi following me. Without turning around I spoke.

"You don't need to follow me home, I know where it is."

I could fell the rustle of his shoulders moving up and down in a nonchalant shrug. "I need to go home anyway to survey the damage of my flat."

I halted. Turning slowly, I raised an eyebrow at Kakashi. "Damage?"

Kakashi paused in his walk to me and shared a surreptitious glance with Sakura.

Anger flared up inside me, knowing I wasn't going to like what they were going to say next.

"What damage?" I snarled.

Kakashi raised his hands in a placating gesture. I was not soothed.

"What damage, Kakashi?" I repeated, my face heating up in dread and anger.

Storming to Ino and snatching her keys from her belt despite her protest I stomped all the way up to her apartment, picking up my sweaty gym clothes stripping down to my sweaty underwear despite the shriek of outrage from Sakura, knowing that she and the others had followed me up stairs.

"Firefly-" Kakashi began but I cut him off savagely.

"Don't." I said as I jumped into my still damp running shorts, unbuckling the garter belt around my midsection, I let it fall to the floor.

Somewhere in my brain, I knew I was over reacting, blowing the entire situation out of proportion but I just couldn't help but think of all the situations they could've gotten into.

Naked situations.

Knife situations.

The final thought sent me at a run out of the apartment my skin tingling with apprehension, pushing the spectators out of the way, all but racing back to the flat, the jumble of keys bouncing on my chest.

Yanking off the heavy metal, I held it in a furious fist and I could hear pounding footsteps behind me that I knew could catch up with me at any time but were choosing to hang after me.

That just made me even angrier that they didn't even consider me as a threat to their actual stamina. Pushing my feet faster, I heard a grunt of surprise from someone as they pushed themselves after me.

"Don't get mad," Kakashi called after me.

I just flipped him my middle finger, not turning from my destination and in the distance I saw those bloody steps leading up to the flat.

When I reached them, I barely cared about scraped knees and continued up them two at a time slipping now and then before I managed to clamber to the door. This is when Kakashi seemed to realise that maybe I shouldn't go in there.

"Maybe we can come back later? You know when you are less," he paused, looking me up and down. "Crazy. Have a nice drink between friends and-"

"Kakashi," I cut him off. "When I go inside how much am I going to hate you and-slash-or resent your very existence on this planet?"

He seemed to give it a thought and this allowed the time for the rest of our rat tag group to join us where I saw Sakura's red face and I looked to Kakashi's apologetic one.

"What have you done?" I breathed, a fear tightening my chest cavity.

"I just want you to bear in mind that it was a crime of passion and she wasn't responsible-"

"Responsible for _what_?" I snarled, turning away from him I put the key in the lock and turned, despite Kakashi's warning hand covering my own.

Walking in, I wasn't sure what I was expecting. Maybe a glass shattered on the floor, a used condom lying abandoned on the low table. I don't know, but seeing the sofa, Kakashi's pride and joy hole ridden, explained by a loose kunai lying next to the bleeding white cushion a jumble of wooden pieces shocked me into solidifying on the spot. That was the least of the problems.

My mouth opened in horror when I saw holes in walls that weren't exactly glory holes nor spy holes. No, these were craters that had the crumbling plaster hanging by a thread in some places while in others they would be found on the wooden slats.

But what made me give a little whine of disbelief were my clothes which were in their different bags had been strewn out everywhere.

That wasn't even the worst of it.

I bent to pick up a dress that I knew I loved and saw savage slices ruining it. I sobbed, clutching my dress and fell to the floor.

_This is why we can't have nice things_, a voice that sounded suspiciously like my father's when I came home from a particularly muddy house bash back when I lived with them.

I buried my face in the destroyed fabric, trying to hide my tears.

It wasn't even my flat but I couldn't help the roar of agony I muffled in my dress and the fact all my belongings had been ruined.

I didn't even have enough money to buy new replicas either.

Speaking of replicas, my head shot up and I crawled desperately towards the bag where it was last and I saw the orange cover and the shredded pages.

I let out a croak as I surveyed the old Icha Icha that I had bought for myself since no matter how much I tried to convince him, Kakashi wouldn't lend his to me. I then hunted for the palm sized painting which I had bought on a whim because I thought it reminded me of the farm fields which I had left behind.

With gentle hands I picked it up from the debris of loose paper, sofa stuffing and glass pieces to see the canvas flopping lifelessly off its frame.

My very spine seemed to give up and I slumped forward as I let the tears of loss spread across my face.

Everything I owned in this fucked up place, _destroyed_.

My tears dried up when I thought of what my true emotion should've been: _anger_.

My mouth tightened and I stepped up from my kneeled position, a supplication to the non-existent deity before I pivoted on my heel to glare at the audience.

I looked to the door. There they all stood. Kakashi with his head bowed standing just inside the door, propping the door open with his back, his grey eye refusing to meet my gaze.

My attention turned to the people further back, Hinata looked around in equal horror as me and Kiba looked shocked too but what my attention focused on was Sakura's tearful face, her toe digging into the mess that had been her and Kakashi's fault.

_Sakura's_, I amended. Kakashi wouldn't so that to me… would he?

"Who. Did. This?" I hissed through gritted teeth.

No one answered, least of all Kakashi which cut me in my already broken heart.

"_Who did this?_" I cried out again.

I stared desperately at Kakashi willing him to look up.

Finally, someone out there granted me my wish because, shamefaced, Kakashi looked up beneath those long lashes of his.

"In Sakura's defence-" he began.

I pushed my hand up in a nonverbal sign for him to stop.

"Shut the fuck up, Kakashi," I whispered deadly. "Just shut. The fuck_._ _Up_."

I turned my gaze to Sakura who looked up at me in apology.

"Jenny I-" Sakura tried.

"I said, _shut the fuck up!_" I shouted. "Honestly-I mean-_seriously_-just what _ -just what the fuck were you thinking? _JUST WHAT EVEN?"

I prided myself of being a person who never swore in excess. I swore sure but in anger? Not so much.

"Sure it's all fine and dandy that you are with Kakashi, I mean _seriously_ that's just _great_ that you fucking broke his heart then come back with an _'I'm sorry' after fucking behind his back_, _destroying_ his flat and probably shagging to your heart's content but," I breathed deeply through my nose, trying to oxygenate my tirade. "What the fuck even is_ this?_"

I gestured to my clothes that were torn and ridiculed. In some cases I saw them hanging limply from the light shade and I saw my torn bras and knickers lying in the heap of regret and disappointment.

"I haven't even done much to you, to deserve this! I know we didn't have the greatest start but _just what on this entire fucking planet, the fucking universe, did you think that this was okay?!_ I mean just why did you think this was the okay way to get back me? This was a dick and bitchy and _childish_ move on _so_ many levels! This was a bitter, jealous, petty move given by a stupid, worthless, horrible human being!

You are the reason why I have given up on humanity! You are the _fucking_ _reason_ why I hate people!"

Somewhere along my rage I thought, _I'm acting just as bad as she was._

But in the heat of the moment, my blood thrumming in time with my beating pulse I stormed up to Sakura raised my hand and brought it flat against her face in the first proper slap I have ever given someone.

I can safely say it was the most wonderful feeling of seeing their face snap to the side, the flaming burn of your wrist as it couldn't take the force of your inner rage and the pink hand shaped mark, marring that flawless skin.

Turning on my heel I fumed over to the bathroom where I slammed the door, wishing I could lock it to bar even Kakashi from coming in but of course, Sakura had already broken the lock on this door too.

I stripped myself in angry movements and slid into the shower, barely waiting for the cold water to heat to hot. I heard the door opening and closing despite a shrieking girl's voice in the back ground.

I tensed and my mouth tightened into a scowl again. Angrily, I wetted my hair under the steady stream and soaped my hand with shampoo before roughly scrubbing my hair with the gloop. I wasn't going to forgive him.

I wasn't.

"I'm sorry," I heard his contrite voice over the heavy patter of the shower.

I just kept scowling, ignoring the apology. _Apology not accepted_.

"I just don't know what came over her, you have every right to be angry." Kakashi said quietly. So soft that I had to strain to listen to him. "Admittedly, you have even more reason to be angry at me for not stopping her sooner."

That annoyed me that he was saying I was right, that he was being too accepting to his fate of my fury.

"I will try to get her to replace everything," that made me snap.

Sticking my head out of the shower curtain, uncaring of the water streams that I was sending to the unprotected floor, I glared at him, forcing him to stop.

"She wouldn't need to replace everything if you had stopped her, or in fact maybe stood back and _let_ her destroy my shit! And there will be no '_I will try to'_ you _will_ get her to buy replacements!"

I replaced the shower curtain with a screech.

Kakashi's sigh, vibrated around the confined bathroom.

"I know I deserve that but you have to realise, Sakura's in a bad place right now, being forced to choose between me and her past love and probably seeing me with you lying on the couch with you didn't help matters any."

"No shit," I muttered, scrubbing the smell of mango all over my body, rinsing away the tears, flour and sweat from my body. "Doesn't make it right. But you fucked up just as royally as she has at the moment."

"Don't be angry with me," Kakashi's voice came through the shower curtain closer than I thought and I glanced to the side to see a shadow standing just outside my cubicle and even behind the opaque sheet I could see the silhouette of his gravity defying hair.

Shaking my head, I could still feel heat simmering in my heart. I just needed some distance.

"Did any of my stuff survive?" I asked, ignoring his silent question for forgiveness.

"Yes, the clothes you _did_ manage to put away," Kakashi replied, albeit more hesitantly unsure if the change in my tone was a positive one or not.

"Can you get the fuck away from the shower then so I can get out?" I snarked, my anger still evident from my coarse language.

Kakashi wisely backed away from the cubicle and I then didn't really care if he saw me naked and casually stepped out where I saw he was staring at the adjacent wall so probably see me from his peripheral.

I snorted and bent to retrieve the towel from the railing and bound it around my torso. Spying my bandages on my arms, the furious pain wasn't as bad as usual and I thought to myself that I could take them off soon.

Reaching for the cabinet with the dressings, my fingers brushed Kakashi's at the same time. I scowled up at him, snatching my fingers away, dulling my head again so everything darkened a shade.

When he pulled his hand back too I quickly darted my hand back in, to grab a couple of rolls before stalking out of the steam filled room to the slightly cooler hallway where I could hear an oppressive silence emanating from the living room.

Probably so awkward with the realisation of what she did.

Rolling my eyes, I went into the bedroom, dropping my towel and plucking a focused finger under my greying, yellow bandages.

"What are you doing?" his bored voice followed me into his room.

I squeaked and ducked back down for the towel to cover at least some of the bare essentials. "What are you doing?"

"What are _you_ doing?" Kakashi retorted, grabbing my arm brusquely, inspecting my arm before unwinding the binding further. "Pushing me away for your pride is stupid and if you were in the field it would get you killed."

I tried tugging my arm out of his to no avail. "Well, I'm never leaving this bloody village again so you don't have to pretend to worry about me getting killed." I faced away as I felt the heavy fabric be released further.

There was a silence, which didn't have Kakashi removing my bandages. I dared a look to see his expression but I might as well have stared at a brick wall for what it told me.

"You are never leaving Konoha again?" Kakashi asked, his voice oddly neutral.

I shrugged, brushing his hands off the skin of my arm as I could feel every evaporating drop on my feverish skin and no matter how angry at Kakashi I was I couldn't help myself when he gave me a smile or said something unexpectedly funny. I couldn't hold a grudge to save my life.

But for the most part, I was still angry, I didn't think I could stay with him that night.

Briskly, untying the ends, I finally looked at my arm in its brutal glory and I couldn't help my sigh of resignation as I left it and rushed to get my other arm uncovered.

I ignored the new bandages as I turned my back on the grey haired man I left them bare for the first time and other than a little resentment I answered Kakashi.

"Yep. Never leaving again," I tried to say cheerfully but I think it came off a bit flat.

"What of the sights you've never seen, the snow, the books!" Kakashi said, I heard his feet behind me and I could feel the fine hairs on my back pricking up to stretch towards his presence.

"I am not dealing with another torture session for my efforts," I said shortly, walking over to the drawers where I knew I had my underwear and I couldn't help my happy squeal when I saw I had some nice underwear that had survived the Culling of Sakura.

Sliding them up my naked legs it barely occurred to me that Kakashi would be struggling with the sight of all the naked flesh in front of him, despite the scars.

Turning to the drawer filled with my dresses I saw a floaty deep purple had survived too and soon I was rolling it over my torso already covered in fabric. I began to tie my hair into its customary twin pony tails.

I turned, finding Kakashi was leaning on his bookcase, his eye completely unreadable.

The room seemed to fill with some kind of crackling tension.

"I would protect you," he said finally.

I shook my head, finishing my second pony tail, walking past him to re-join the group. "You didn't last time," internally I winced but outwardly, I gave no sign of caring about his feelings and I saw my last words had finally hit home, where his eye seemed to harden into the strongest metal alloy before he nodded and followed me to where everyone else was.

…o0o…

Kakashi followed behind the hurt blue haired girl, silently sighing at himself for getting in this situation. Even he knew that he wasn't getting out of this with an unspoken apology.

Finding everyone in the living room, he saw Jenny plaster on a fake smile for Kiba and Hinata both of which looked like they wished that they were anywhere but right there.

Kakashi braved a glance at Sakura and saw she was fuming. She wasn't exactly happy when Kakashi, after checking she was okay, chased after Jenny. She had her arms folded across her chest, subtly amplifying her bust size.

"So, where are we going for that drink?" Jenny while smiling still asked Sakura.

If Kakashi didn't have a mask over his face, they would have seen his mouth drop open.

Jenny was talking to Sakura… as if nothing had happened? Yet was treating him like he killed her cat?

Admittedly, he probably could've stopped Sakura when she first started on Jenny's clothes but just… didn't. He didn't even know why.

Sakura looked over at Kakashi confused, although her eyes were still hardened against him. He just shrugged. Her guess was as good as his.

Jenny looked at her expectantly, her eyebrow raised. "Well? Where are we drinking? Any good bars? Maybe the pub?"

Everyone remained silent and he couldn't help but look to the ceiling as if that would have some answer that would fix this mess. Clearing his throat, everyone turned to Kakashi expectantly. Rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, his other hand reached out to touch his book of Icha Icha comfortingly.

"I'm thinking maybe we could go to the pub tonight," he said as casually as possible. "It just happens to be cheaper than the majority of the cocktail bars."

Jenny's mouth tightened but nodded her head briefly before turning to a shy Hinata, dragging her and without looking, pulled a Kiba too towards the door.

Sakura and Kakashi followed more reluctantly. After shutting the door, they all made their way precariously down the stairs.

"How much do you think that Jenny hates us?" Sakura asked, pushing herself onto her tip toes leaning into his muscled arm, unconsciously squishing them against him.

It was all he could do to appear nonplussed and look her dead in the eye.

"You are going to have to pay her back, I'm going to have to do some serious grovelling," Kakashi said, thinking aloud.

Sakura gave a huff of frustration. "I _know_ that I would have to pay her back, that was a given but," Sakura paused chewing on her lip, ahead of them they heard Jenny's chiming laugh. "Do you have to make up with Jenny? I mean, you don't _have_ to keep her in your house any longer, we know now she couldn't be an enemy nin."

Kakashi's brow furrowed as he looked over at his new girlfriend and had his most chastising expression on his face from when she was genin.

"It may come as a surprise to you but I consider Jenny as one of my friends and those who leave their friends are worse than trash."

Sakura bowed her head in shame.

"You are right Kakashi, I'm sorry." She raised her eyes so that the green met the grey and a flash of heat flared up inside Kakashi when he realised that they were his alone now and couldn't help the uncharacteristic display of affection, curling his hand around her waist.

"It's okay, you just need to apologise to her," Kakashi lay a kiss on her forehead.

Sakura nodded and they continued on in silence, the humid air, making a slight layer of perspiration smother over the pores in his skin.

Kakashi kept his eye on the back of his roommate who turned around in time to catch him looking, flustered, he gave a wave, thanking kami he was a ninja to cover up his blunder.

Jenny reluctantly raised her hand to mirror his and turned back to Hinata and Kiba who she had not-so-subtly pushed together.

Kakashi lowered his hand slowly and tightened his hold on Sakura when he felt a familiar chakra signature and he could barely control his jealous fury towards him but satisfied himself with laying another kiss on the top of her head again.

He could feel the death being sent at him and casually as if he was observing his common surroundings, he spied him standing on a nearby roof top, his eyes glowing red in the dying afternoon light.

Slowly, Kakashi gave Sasuke an eye crinkle where he gave another wave but this one was more sarcastic and victorious.

His very skin was feeling alive with the electricity racing along the tiny hairs and his very chakra felt pulled to the pink haired kunoichi resting under his arm.

The very same kunoichi who couldn't keep the regretful tear falling down her face as she saw Sasuke's look of pained betrayal.

They continued walking, leaving behind the last Uchiha heir standing alone.

…o0o…

I couldn't stay mad at him for long. It was a waste of time, effort and energy.

While I enjoyed chatting with Hinata and Kiba, it was so difficult when I saw a one sided love and the obliviousness on the other side. It was insufferable, painful and I couldn't help the little pang of envy.

I couldn't say that I had forgiven him yet but I knew that I would give in soon. I just couldn't hold a grudge even when I _wanted_ to. It was another waste of time, effort and energy.

Shuffling along the booth until I was out, I trailed after Kakashi who had gone to buy the next round.

I carelessly slouched against the bar next to the grey haired man, picking at my finger nails. Kakashi's head tilted towards me, his eyes never leaving the bar man who was making the drinks, the only sign that Kakashi was aware of my presence.

"I finished the book by the way," I said, bridging the unspoken tension.

He didn't answer but nodded. My heart packed with lead, sank a little in my chest. He was probably still angry about earlier. I was getting the silent treatment. Well I deserved to be angry still too, yet I wasn't pouting over it. I had that moment.

"It was okay as far as smut goes," I offered, hoping that he would receive and return the favour.

Kakashi nodded again.

I bowed my head, my heart slowly losing beat as it lost one of its closest friends in this strange world.

A gloved hand chucked up my chin with the back of his fingers. I looked up, not allowing myself to hope that he wasn't angry. I saw the familiar eye crinkle and I couldn't help the smile that flashed across my face in joy.

"Why do you look so down?" he teased.

The tension I never realised I was holding in my chest was lost and swallowing my bitter comment about my clothes, I shrugged.

"Didn't know how you would react to me criticising your books," I smirked easily.

Kakashi raised his predictable eyebrow. "Criticising?" he scoffed. "Don't insult me. That was one of the best literary works you have read in a long time. Didn't your mother tell you not to lie?"

I grinned impishly. "Maybe once or twice, but I think she would agree with me at this point."

He rolled that obsidian eye of his before paying for the tray of drinks. I snatched my vodka and coke and started sipping through the straw while Kakashi picked the tray up to take back to the table to find Sasuke and Naruto waiting for us.

I waved at them.

"Hey!"

Naruto caught me up in a big bear hug that I swear I could feel my ribs creaking from the strain. I gasped.

There was a thump and an expected "Ow, Sakura-chan that hurt!" and I was released shortly after.

There was laughter from the rest of the table.

I pushed myself to my tip toes as if to inspect the damage. "Aw you poor baby," I teased, rubbing the spot softly.

Naruto gave me a sheepish grin. "It didn't hurt that much," he said bashfully before turning to pick up his lager from the table.

I spied Sakura obviously avoiding the strong stares from Sasuke on the end of the table and I couldn't help but feel a little bit of pity and my heart warmed towards him.

This time when Kakashi slid into the booth, I slid in next to him, ignoring Kiba's, Hinata's and Sakura's stares of disbelief as I tucked into my vodka and coke.

"Knew you could do it sensei!" Naruto crowed as if picking up where he left off.

Sakura blushed and it didn't look like she was particularly happy with this development and Kakashi looked as relaxed as usual with his orange book classically open half way through seeming to be ignoring everyone.

"Naruto!" Sakura hissed, her eyes flashing but when I snuck a look towards Sasuke he looked as if he didn't have a care in the world, who had turned his attention away from to the group and was now talking to a couple of giggling girls in the next booth over and I couldn't stop the pang of guilt as I saw while he had the smirk on his face, I saw he was determined to not look over at the pink haired girl.

Shaking my head, I saw I had sucked the remnants of my drink in my distraction and I mourned the loss.

"Hey Jenny," I heard from the opposite side of the table and I looked up to see Kiba tilting his head towards the bar. "You want me to buy your next drink?"

Giving him a grateful smile, I slid back out of the booth to follow after the lean shinobi.

Leaning against the bar top much alike when I was waiting with Kakashi, I perused the entire pub, I searched for any of Kakashi's friends from last night.

"What are you drinking?" Kiba asked, looking at me sideways.

I shrugged. "I'll take another vodka and coke, although make it a double this time, please."

I gave him a smile which he returned earnestly. We were both quiet as the bar tender sorted us out.

There was something bugging me and I couldn't help but nudge my nose with a knuckle trying to figure out how to ask. I wished for my long sleeves back so I could tug them over my wrists again.

"Jenny, whatever you want to say you can say it," Kiba said almost exasperatedly.

Startled, I looked up at him in surprise.

Kiba in return rolled his eyes and pointed to himself. "Ninja remember?"

I laughed and shook my head self-deprecatingly. "Right yeah, so stupid of me," I bit my lower lip in thought of how to begin. "Thank you for buying this for me. I wouldn't be able to otherwise."

Kiba shrugged my thanks off. "It's no problem."

"I just don't want you to think this is going to be a common occurrence," I had to add after we were quiet for another few moments.

"It's fine really. I'm just more shocked that Sakura would destroy your shit like that," Kiba said thoughtfully. "Like I knew her temper was bad but I never-" he cut off, opting to take the drinks that we had been offered and presented my drink with a flourish.

Rolling my eyes I thanked him and took a sip. We stood, silently drinking our alcoholic beverages.

"Do you," I hesitated, opting to take another gulp of my drink.

Kiba leaned his body towards me expectantly.

"Do you think she'll pay me back?" I finally broke out quietly under the hum of good nature from the rest of the pub.

Kiba seemed to think about this for a moment and we heard booming laughter come from our table and we both looked to see Naruto smacking the table and next to him a timid Hinata tucked under his arm.

"She would be indebted to you but I don't think she would be able to pay you back," Kiba finally said, his eyes never leaving the blonde haired man's arm from its position.

I tore my eyes away from the scene alarmed. "What?"

Kiba finally managed to rip his eyes away from Hinata to look back at my horrified face. "Knowing Sakura she would have already spent the little that she gained from the C class mission."

I frowned. "But I got a shit load of money from the mission," I said confused as I traced the wet circle made by the condensation on my glass.

"That was compensation money for a civilian. If you were a ninja you would be grumbling right now that you don't get paid enough," Kiba said matter of factly, taking another swig from his glass.

I looked over to our group of friends and I could feel the slight stuffing of my head and I could conclude I was slowly but surely getting intoxicated.

"Do you think I have a chance with her?" I heard Kiba moving closer to whisper in my ear.

I didn't have to ask who, I just knew.

I looked to the small girl and I couldn't help but feel a little pain for Kiba.

Sadly, I shook my head. "I'm sorry, but it looks like a no go."

I felt Kiba nodding next to me but I wasn't focusing on him anymore, I was looking at Sakura and Kakashi.

Kakashi's hand was conspicuously below the table and I saw Sakura's flushed face but looking at the ice water she had been drinking for the entire night, it didn't take a genius to figure out what the pervert was doing in the public.

Rolling my eyes, I huffed. I guessed I really had to find another place to sleep that night.

I turned my attention back to the tanned man who was closer than anticipated.

"I don't think I am going to be able to go home tonight, do you have a couch I could borrow?" I asked.

Kiba looked at me slowly, a shit eating grin coming onto his face with pleasure and he began to move.

Trying not to think of those biceps which were slowly enclosing me in the space between his body and the bar, Kiba moved himself in front of me and I tried to focus on his answer but I felt the blood flooding in my ears, numbing the sounds.

"I guess I could," Kiba said lowly, his eyes lazily roaming from my eyes to my lips before flicking back up to meet my shocked and slightly lusty stare. "But there would be a price."

Without removing my gaze from his, I placed my glass back on the bar top behind me, one of my icy fingers trailing up a forearm barrier to curl around a bicep experimentally. I felt him flex under my hand. I gave a small sultry laugh.

"Oh? What if I can't pay the money?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

Kiba, encouraged, his eyes flashing, leaned closer and closer, his warm brown eyes a liquid as I could feel his desire increase. His head levelled with mine and his breath damped my ear with his increased breathing.

"I'm sure we can come to some," Kiba paused, allowing the shudders of anticipation wrack up my body before teasingly licking the shell of my ear. A weaker woman would have her knees buckle but as it was I had to grip the bicep harder as the heat that had slowly building up low in my belly, flared. "Arrangement."

I barely had time to nod as he moved his lips to envelope my ear lobe.

This time my very knees quaked. Sliding an arm behind my back expertly, he supported me against his hard body.

"Arrangements I can do," I replied breathily in his own ear as he lasciviously licked my lobe again, his teeth catching on the sensitive skin. "Should we have an arrangement now?"

Kiba nodded, pressing his chest closer to me, allowing me to feel everything I would be getting that night. I felt dizzy with excitement.

"Let me just tell Kakashi and we can bounce," I spun and downed my drink allowing Kiba's wandering hands to inspire me to rush.

I flushed at the alcohol spurring my heart beat to increase its rate as I all but ran over to Kakashi.

Ducking my head next to his ear, Kakashi almost jumped in surprise at my presence. From my vantage point I saw indeed Kakashi's hand was currently very high on Sakura's thigh and I have to say was closer to her crotch than the actual flesh of her muscle.

"I'm going home with Kiba, don't wait up." I breathed in his ear before I smirked. "Well, if you do wait up I don't think it will be too _hard_."

Kakashi turned his eye to me which gave me such a withering glare but underneath it all was a little worry. "Your wit is astounding." Looking over my shoulder he could see Kiba and he turned his gaze back to me. Observing me he looked all over my face before finally saying, his voice neutral. "Isn't it too soon?"

This was the point when Kiba's patience had run out and had slid his hands under my arms to press against my lower ribs to pull me against his front, his index fingers brushing the underwire of my bra.

"I'll be fine," I shot him a wink. "You just focus on you."

With that, my time bomb had exploded and Kiba groped a breast sending my eye lids fluttering and I soon I was striding towards the door, now dragging Kiba, being the instigator.

Standing out in the humid air, my heated skin reacted and I couldn't help but fan my face as Kiba pushed himself into my space where one hand pushed its way down to the top of my bottom while the other combed its way up my neck to tangle in the tied up strands of my hair.

Finally, he leaned in and captured my mouth in a wet, heated mess.

I could barely hold in my sigh at the dominating press of his body against my weak, supple one.

I tore my mouth away to skim my way down his jaw to begin suckling on his throat as if that would satiate my thirst.

"Which way is your home?" I breathed in his ear as I came up for air before, Kiba used his hold on my hair to pull me back to where I was needed: on his lips.

Grabbing my hand, Kiba tugged me desperately in the opposite direction of mine and Kakashi's flat.

The entire journey was inconsequential other than when we reached a door to an actual house and Kiba pressed me desperately against the wood, the coolness seeping through my thin dress to soothe my burning body.

I tugged on his belt loops, my thumbs digging into his hip bones through the fabric. Kiba supported his weight off me by holding onto the wall behind me as if that was the only way he was keeping up.

We somehow stumbled through the door and quietly fumbled with getting our shoes off at the mat before Kiba was attacking my mouth and I couldn't help the flushed blood that was going to my face and to lower areas.

I finally heard Kiba lose proper control and gave a guttural growl as he hoisted me onto his waist.

In my instinct, I looped my arms over his shoulders to link behind his head, bringing his face close to my heaving cleavage and I did the same with my legs.

We were two odd puzzle pieces like those mutilated animals however, while we weren't so gruesome, we were only looking for relief and the other was the nearest collateral damage. We only just fit together.

Kiba managed to make it up the stairs without killing us but drove me crazy with all the love nips his fangs made with each pass closer and closer to my much abandoned chest area.

Pushing through one of the many doors on the first landing, he shut the door with a gentleness… like there were other people in the house that he didn't want to wake…

But at that time, I didn't care.

Reaching for the hem at my knees I pulled my dress high over my head before letting it flop to the ground allowing Kiba to admire my electric blue thong and lace bra set. With an exaggerated ease, I wandered around his room, as if Kiba was the last thing on my mind. That was always the start.

I could feel his tongue running along his lips as he followed the way my hips swung from side to side.

That was always the second.

Then came the touch.

I didn't know when he moved but one moment I was drawing a finger in the dust, the next my bare shoulder blades were pressing into the unrelenting chest of Kiba while the palm of one hand pressed into my stomach, his finger teasing the elastic on the thong, the little snap making my eye flutter in delight.

Kiba inhaled my scent from my hair and was slowly rocking his impressive erection into the curve of my backside while the other hand finally sampled the land beyond the barrier.

I held my breath in delight as the first finger probed the area around me.

"You are wet," Kiba growled in my ear.

Instead of sending a flush of new heat, it sent an awkward blush to my cheeks. I was never one for dirty talk but however it seemed I wasn't going to get anymore if I didn't reply.

"You know anyone who can help me?" I tried to respond seductively but I think it came out garbled and weird sounding.

Luckily, I think I could've blamed it on the fact I was drunk and was overloaded with desire.

Kiba was more than happy to agree.

…o0o…

As I snuck out in the early dawn, I rubbed the section beneath my eye, trying to remove the sleepy bo boes.

I covered another yawn as I looked at my surroundings. I think Kakashi's is that way, I thought to myself. That tower looks familiar. I sighed, passing under the lampposts, a circle of light before retreating into the dark again, only to be brought back out into the light.

Well, it didn't matter any longer because I saw a recognisable face leaning against a lamp post reading a book in the slight chill in the morning.

Trying to tamp down on my smile, I failed as I walked up to Kakashi.

He gave the appearance that he wasn't aware of my presence and I rolled my eyes, placing my hand on the top of the book, pushing it down so Kakashi could see my face.

"You're going to strain your eyes like that," I reproved warmly. "The light in addition to you holding it so bloody close is going to let your one surviving eye go blind."

Kakashi gave me an eye crinkle before raising a gloved hand to ruffle my hair that I had untied. I rolled my eyes heavenward, not even bothering to protest, knowing he still wouldn't stop it.

"I won't strain them, because I have you to protect them." Kakashi gave me another cheerful smile.

I huffed and walked on past him, turning to the right at the junction and if it wasn't for the strong steering hand I would have gone the wrong way.

"But I wouldn't have you to give me directions. Your sense of direction is appalling." Kakashi said teasingly.

I couldn't help but notice how much happier Kakashi was as we walked, on hand on my back amplifying my surroundings and no matter how much I shook my head, I couldn't remove a background beeping.

"Are you okay?" Kakashi asked stopping so he could turn me to face him, placing the back of his hand on my forehead. "Did that Kiba give you something?"

I snorted derisively, smacking Kakashi's hand away, unable to ignore the fact the beeping continued a few seconds after the contact ceased.

"Alright _dad_, he didn't slip me anything if that's what you mean," I shook my head.

Kakashi gave one of his laughs that made my lower stomach tighten as I could imagine him as a morning after, me, snuggling into his bare hard chest, one of his many scars pressing into my face reassuringly…

"You never know," Kakashi said lowly. "If he has, he won't be able to get it up after I'm through with him."

I rolled my eyes, taking his elbow to pull us forward again.

"Stop being a worry wart," I said, my bare feet cooling under the pavement slabs. "I should be the one worrying about you."

Kakashi stopped again and I tilted my head towards his flat. "Are you coming?"

Kakashi looked at me with an indiscernible expression. "I'm going away for a while."

"Oh," I dropped my head, scuffing my toe against the ground, ignoring the slight wince from the pain, as a scrape of my skin was being removed by the tarmac. "You have a mission."

I didn't say it as a question and he didn't answer it.

"It won't be long," Kakashi said finally.

It was then that I saw what he was wearing. A skin tight black top with thin metal plates for armour.

I nodded numbly, unable the keep the loneliness that was already eating me up.

A couple of fingers chucked my chin back up. "It won't be long," he reassured me. "A few days at most."

I nodded again and I opened my mouth to say something, but I wavered, biting the flesh of my lower lip.

"Could-could you bring something back for me?" I asked, not looking up from his sandaled feet. He had nice toes. "It- it doesn't have to be anything big but since I can't go, I kind of want to experience the other places in this world without actually leaving and I'm sorry that sounds actually pretty stupid and you can shut me up at any time-"

I cut off my speech with a gasp as Kakashi gave me a crushing hug. My eyes flashed in front of me and the sense of smell increased and I couldn't smell his tea tree and spearmint soap, but I could feel the tiny scratches in the armour but not see on his back.

I-

_Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep... _

_The rustling of paper. Where was I? _

_Anyone there? Mum? Dad? Nathaniel?_

_Anyone coming to see pigeon?_

_There was that whirring of a machine in the background. It was expected. Rhythmic as strokes through water, as the turning of a page… as breathing._

_What-_

Kakashi's hands rubbed up and down my back soothingly, one hand reaching to cup the back of my head.

With tentative hands, I tightened my hold on him. I sighed in relief.

"I'll bring you back something every time," Kakahi murmured, rubbing little circles with his finger pads on my scalp. "I'll build up your collection of worldly goods until you are going to wish that you never asked."

I gave a weak laugh, holding him in my tight embrace praying to God that he would come home safe.

"I'll look after your house, I'll make you something good for dinner when you get back," I reassured him. "Maybe if I get bored enough I'll arrange you books in alphabetical order."

Kakashi grumbled his lowly earth shaking laugh. I burrowed just for a little longer.

"Don't die or I'll just raise you from the dead to kill you again," I warned after a couple of moments in the silence before finally loosening my arms so they dropped to my sides again.

Kakashi gave me a sloppy salute. "Yes ma'am."

I rolled my eyes and pushed him away a little. "Go on already, I want to have the free bed."

Kakashi rolled his eyes and ruffled my hair once more before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

And I continued on my walk home. Alone.


	7. Lonely Fix

Lonely Fix

"**Don't die or I'll just raise you from the dead to kill you again," I warned after a couple of moments in the silence before finally loosening my arms so they dropped to my sides again. **

**Kakashi gave me a sloppy salute. "Yes ma'am." **

**I rolled my eyes and pushed him away a little. "Go on already, I want to have the free bed." **

**Kakashi rolled his eyes and ruffled my hair once more before disappearing in a poof of smoke. **

**And I continued on my walk home. Alone.**

…o0o…

Walking into the empty flat, the only sound the jingling of the keys was incredibly lonely. Shutting the door with a muted thump, I walked around, surveying the damage that I didn't really notice only feeling the carnage in the debris' muffled rolls out of the way of my feet.

Seeing it up so close, I saw that my clothes were in a worse shape than I originally thought. I couldn't restrain the flush of heat that followed my rage over Sakura destroying my things.

I inhaled sharply through my nose to try that failsafe, to no avail. How could she do this? To me? What had I done? Nothing, except try to be that infuriating pervert's friend.

I know the way I acted the day before was calm and collected, but come on. Someone destroying everything that I had to try and comfort the homesickness that I felt? Below the belt.

But I couldn't very well make an enemy out of her right then. I had little to no allies when Kakashi wasn't there. Even when he was, he was going out with Sakura.

In fact, everyone here _loved _Sakura, so any negative move I made towards her, would mean I would be signing my own death sentence.

I sighed and noticed the way it breathed from my lips and was brought back to the task in hand. The quiet.

Finding that I would just notice it more if I read my book, I began to clean the war path, thinking I had nothing better to do.

Picking up the fabric debris and putting them in one of the empty plastic bags after collecting all the receipts to give to Sakura to get her to re-buy all my stuff, I placed them by the door. Despite what Kiba said about Sakura paying me back, there was that niggling bit of doubt.

But I believed that Kakashi would be true to his word and get Sakura to buy everything back.

After hunting through all the little doors I finally found the utility cupboard with a hoover and a brush.

Piling already the two big black bin liners by the door, I started to round up the plaster, broken pieces of wood and fragmented shards of glass. Wiping my hand across a sweaty forehead, I saw that the time was now eight o'clock in the morning.

I was bone tired but I couldn't help but feel like I need to finish this before going to my bed. Smacking my mouth to try and wet the dry cavern, I padded numbly to the kitchen to down a glass of water.

I was diverted when I heard frantic knocking at my door. Frowning, wondering who it could be, I opened the door and by the time it swung fully open, I wished that I had pretended that I wasn't in.

Ino stood there huffing and I couldn't help but think that it was a common occurrence that she would stand in my doorway, continually angry with me.

"Where _were_ _you_?" she snarled.

Unconsciously, I moved backwards, as if that would evade her wrath. I stared at her in confusion.

"Was there someplace I was supposed to be?" I asked carefully, making no sudden movements my hands raised. To do what, I don't know. I was about as threatening as a plushie toy.

Ino in all seriousness stomped her foot like a toddler going through a temper tantrum.

"You were _supposed_ to come to my café and _work!_"

Finally, the realisation hit me like a freight train. My mouth turned down apologetically.

"I'm so sorry, I thought it was a one-time only deal," I tried to say.

But Ino wasn't having any of it.

"No, I got the most customers I have ever entered my shop _just_ because of your come worthy crumpets and if you don't move your blue ass out of here _right now_ I'm going to move it for you!"

My eyes widening, I couldn't help but numbly turn into the bedroom, looking as immaculate as it usually did and feel the little hot sense of loss.

I don't know what I was expecting but I thought there would be some sign that Kakashi had lived there, or at least would have had a sign of having a hot steamy night with Sakura (no matter how much I hated the idea especially since I would have to _sleep_ in it) or _anything_ to show me he was alive before he met me that morning.

With a sigh, I changed into new clothes with some doable underwear, rolling some deodorant on, and rubbed my eyes tiredly. Maybe I should have gone to bed instead of trying to clean the flat.

Yawning, I tried to walk into the bathroom to brush my teeth but a hand grabbed my upper arm to drag me out. I dug my heels in causing major carpet burn. I hissed, stumbling after her trying to keep up to futilely escape her.

"Wait a damn minute!" I finally snarled, yanking my arm.

Ino turned to me startled. "Jenny?"

"I haven't slept since probably four this morning, clean up the shit that was not cleaned yesterday because Kakashi and Sakura were probably getting it on like rabbits! I am tired, hungry and not in the mood to deal with your PMS bullshit when all I want is to fucking brush my teeth!" I ended choking on a sob. I rubbed my eyes irritably. Stupid tears. Stupid tiredness. Stupid Sakura for destroying my shit. Stupid _Kakashi_ for not even cleaning up _anything!_

I sighed, rubbing my eyes again, trying to dislodge the water from them.

Tentatively, Ino enclosed me into a hug. "You must be more tired than I thought. I'm sorry that was mean. Do you still want to come with me after being a Grade A bitch?"

I nodded, snuffling into her shoulder. "I don't want to be alone," I whispered quietly. "It wasn't so bad when he was here, but I haven't got him to distract me from-" I cut off, unable to finish anything.

Ino's hand which was rubbing my back increased the friction as if the heat would make me feel better in the already hot and humid country.

"Go brush your teeth. I'll be waiting here, Lightbulb," Ino teased lightly, annoyingly different from her usual obnoxious self.

I nodded dully, rotating mechanically to walk to the bathroom where I lazily brushed my teeth until I could feel the plaque removed.

I looked up to the mirror, not really expecting much from the reflective glass but I wasn't expecting to see an already haggard look where I had puffy bags under my eyes, the ethereal blue glow of my eyes exposing how red the whites were. I saw little raised bumps from Kiba's sharp love bites, shown by the low cut top on my chest. I frowned but shaking my head, I caught my brush to comb through the worse of the knots before sloppily tying my hair up into two ponytails again.

I couldn't tell you what happened on the way to the cosplay café, because I couldn't remember.

There was rustling, a tinkling then finally the shutting. Steps, more steps, then another rustling, hands filled with frills, my legs stepping automatically into the clothes. I moved my breasts so they rested better, pulled the tights so they pulled at the right stage of opaque and see through, my feet slid into a pair of not so suitable heels which I think I said.

Uncaring, I followed the blonde down steps, more steps until I was in the cold kitchen. Walking to the multiple ovens, I switched them to their different temperatures before walking to various cupboards, spoons, knives, forks, bowls, and even larger bowls, sieves, baking powder…

I didn't even know anymore.

The morning passed in a blind blur broken only by five minutes of clarity from the multiple, detested cups of coffee. Tasted shit, but it got me to where I was.

I was so out of it I didn't hear someone calling my name until someone shoved my shoulder.

"Kami Lightbulb," Ino, back to normal after my break down that morning, yelled in my ear. "It's a wonder you have lasted so long!"

I gave her a withering stare but turned back to pushing my arm into beating the batter.

"Back to my original point, I thought maybe if I would make it easier for you if you had help?" She gestured to someone over in the door way.

Dread pooled in my stomach and without looking I knew who it was going to be.

Meeting the gaze of an equally awkward Kiba, I plastered a smile on my face.

"Seems great," I said, my cheeks hurting from their strain before I turned back to making a smoother mixture.

I felt rather than saw Kiba move into his position the previous day. We stayed silent.

Kiba was making the citrus-y cake again and I turned for the flour just the same time as Kiba, resulting in our hands brushing. I flushed, barely controlling my hand from snatching away from human contact, instead I gave a small, forced laugh.

"Bagsie!" I caught the bag of flour and the sieve preparing to place it in my bowl.

I saw Kiba rolling his eyes but when his gaze met mine we both stopped. Not suddenly, more like the waning of a cycle, where we had realised the tension was too hard to ignore.

"So…" Kiba began awkwardly, dropping his spoon in the bowl and began rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

I paused my sieving, tipping my head towards him to show I was listening. He was quiet for a moment and I looked up to see Kiba flicking a thread on one of the tatty tea towels.

"I think you are a great girl-" Kiba began and I couldn't help the snigger of laughter come out.

His head snapped up at that. Horrified, I covered my mouth with wide eyes.

"Sorry," I tried, "just if you are doing 'we-should-be-friends' talk then I don't think it is needed." I gave a rueful grin. "We were friends of two hours, you got me drunk in five, and we went home and had sex. No biggie."

Kiba's eyes were about join the little flour particles on the floor when they popped out and rolled.

"So what you are saying," Kiba said carefully, his eyes unwavering, "is that, you are _happy_ with a one night stand and going back to being friends?"

I nodded cheerfully, turning back to my batter.

"I don't see why we should make things awkward considering we don't know much about each other. You love Hinata, I don't love you. This was a win-win situation." I lifted my shoulders and dropped them emphatically.

Kiba slowly nodded, a smile deliberately coming to play on his face. I beamed back.

"Okay, friends," Kiba said, relief evident in his tone.

I rolled my eyes again, nudging my nose with a knuckle, a residue effect for the whole lot of awkward that could have been if he had suddenly changed his mind about Hinata (highly unlikely).

We continued throughout the day just baking in comfortable silence, leaving the witty comments in their unused corner.

The fix I had the night before was wearing off and when Kiba ever left the room I couldn't help but think about how little I knew about this place and my eyes would reflexively start filling with water. _I just want to go home._

Sadly, I began to shape my cookies again on the baking tray.

I was so focused on my task that I never realised that crystalline drops were tracing the apple of my cheeks until a pale hand belonging to Ino brushed my face.

"Hey! What are you whinging about?" she demanded, her hands fisting on the frills of her French Maid outfit.

I hurriedly wiped my face, searching the room for a reason I could blame it on.

"Uh, I uh…" I trailed off before allowing my shoulders to slump again this time shuddering with the unexpected sobs that shook through my entire being.

In all honesty, I missed my family, my flat, my job.

I missed the busy city life of London, where you would get glares from the busy, smiles from the easy. Where the scent of coffee and pollution permeated my very skin, leaving me smiling at the grumpy.

I missed the way my flat curved predictably in its shapes, where it was cramped but home-y, where it would feel filled when other humans were around.

But more importantly, I missed my mother, father and brother.

The way my mum would irritably push her bobbed hair behind her ear with a wrist, white with flour. The way her smile gave her little dimples in her cheeks and how I swore lines grew when she heard of mine and Nathaniel's new misdeeds.

The scent of her perfume, a flowery mainstream one that smelled wrong compared to her homemade soap of strawberry and mint. How I could see her powder flashing slightly on her skin.

Her home roasts, best hugs, the illness shroud…

A hot flush covered my body as a depression settled over my shoulders. Cancer.

Then it came to dad. A farmer by nature and occupation, a man of conservative values, a man ruled by coupons and tradition. A man of red, jovial cheeks and cringey jokes, a dad to make everything better when all was wrong.

He came in everyday at six, no later. He smelled of the farm, of silage, cake and cows. But clean, he always smelled of the sharp scent of soap and grass still.

His jolly laugh, his work ethic and his unwavering certainty. I missed it all.

"Shit Lightbulb, what is it?!" Ino enveloped me in a hug, wrapping her arms around my waist, crushing me and reassuring me of another's presence.

Finding the acceptance I needed, I buried my face in her neck allowing the animalistic wails come through.

"I just miss them so much," I managed to snuffle out.

"Who? Kakashi?" Ino asked, confused.

I wagged my head vehemently. "No, my family. I should have my family!" I shouted, pushing her back, scrubbing my face back. "I don't belong here and I just want them back!"

My face reddened at my outburst and I carefully wiped my finger under my nose for any left overs from my sob fest. Plastering a smile on my face, I bared it at both Kiba and Ino who were looking at me in concern.

"Sorry," I muttered, turning to wash my hands in the sink for any bacteria I might have acquired. "I don't know what came over me."

Ino looked down at her watch. "Should be closing time soon, why don't you head on home and we'll meet at the pub we went to last night-You remember where it is right?-and get pissed drunk so you won't miss them as much, yeah?"

I nodded numbly, about to leave through the side door, Ino called me back.

"Why are you going through that way? You are working for me now, you keep the uniform." My mouth opened and closed in stunned silence before I couldn't find the fight in me so I walked back through the café where the men continued to salivate.

"I'll meet you there Lightbulb in like an hour and a half!" Ino yelled after me.

I waved my hand to show I heard her as I walked out of the door into the busy street filled with families and familiar conversation.

While again I walked home alone, to an empty house, absent of the one I needed most.

…o0o…

_Where was she?_ I thought to myself, nursing a water at the bar, not wanting to get drunk on my own. I even made sure to leave late so that she would definitely be there!

With a sigh, I smacked my palm to my forehead before I thought, _Fuck it_.

Calling over the father like bar tender, I finally bought myself an alcohol beverage. A strong one.

Drinking the majority within the first half in five minutes, I couldn't help but think I was like every cliché given. Drinking alone to fuel my loneliness.

Internally I shrugged.

Maybe this cloud had a silver lining where I could get drunk, have a one night stand with a random stranger and maybe going home, with that hot bulge in my throat absent along with my loneliness.

I nodded, resolving myself.

I was perched on the seat in direct line of the door so I could see if Ino suddenly come through the door, when one of Kakashi's friends walked through instead.

Lowering my gaze to the liquid of spirit, I hoped he hadn't seen me, I couldn't even remember his name! The one with the scar across the nose! Shit! Why do they all have hard names? What was it?! Asai? No, that's completely wrong. Oh god, oh god, why, oh why did I not pay attention?!

I was broken from my frantic thoughts with the stool next to me being brought out with a scrape. I looked up hoping that it was Ino but felt my heart deflate in my chest when I saw it was him.

I gave a sheepish smile. "Hi."

"I don't know if you remember me from the other night?" The man gave me a loose salute. "But I'm Iruka and I'm searching for another lonely drinker for a partner. You mind me joining?"

I held back the snarky comment on him already joining me but instead I fell into the role of attracting.

I smiled languidly, leaning back, crossing my legs slowly, tossing one of my ponytails over my shoulder.

"Thank go-" I cut off saying god again, without an eye roll. "Thank you, I thought I would be like every cliché out there."

He gave a chuckle, picking out something from under his nails which looked like blood. The alcohol turned sourly in my stomach before I took a fortifying gulp of the bitter drink.

"Well, it is my part time job outside of being ninja of helping the innocents," Iruka joked and if I wasn't mistaken, I think I saw him flex his biceps.

He didn't need to do this. He could take me home already. Instead, I nodded, pretending that I didn't notice how when my shoulder dropped, it allowed my spaghetti strap of a black swing dress to fall slightly, exposing my equally black bra to an extent.

Iruka was smooth. I'll give him that.

It was only a flash, but I saw the way his eyes caught onto the fabric before he tugged it back to meet my innocent gaze. Iruka mimicked me from earlier, taking a particularly large gulp of his frothing drink.

"So what is it you do?" Iruka asked, leaning an elbow on the bar top next to him, placing a tired head on a fist.

While he didn't say it, I knew that his curiosity was killing him as now my arms were exposed to his stare, he was wondering what job could allow my skin be damaged so.

I saw no judgement luckily or I think I would have cried then and there.

I smiled, giving a little sip. "I work at Ino's cosplay café."

Iruka's eyes widened in surprise. "Not exactly what I was expecting, although isn't that a French Maid cosplay?" he asked, scanning my body, mentally classifying me in the costume, his eyes alighting in a pleasured stare.

I nodded, twirling my hair around my finger. "I'm their baker. Although waking as early as I have to, _kills_ me."

He nodded in understanding. "When a particularly long mission comes up, the only thing that could make it worse would be if it was raining _and_ early."

I giggled and took a more measured sip of my drink. "It didn't help that I didn't sleep much the night before," I said slyly, cutting him a sideways look to see if he saw unspoken activities.

Oh he understood, from the look of his heated stare on the couple of love bites in his line of vision.

I broke the intense tension looking to his fingers where they were tapping out a nervous beat.

"You need a smoke?" I asked, giving a little point with my knuckle towards the tick.

Iruka startled, jumped in his seat, his elbow sliding off the polished surface of the bar top.

I laughed, patting my hand against his shoulder reassuringly, my hand lingering obviously.

Iruka mock glared at me before bringing out from his pouch a packet of cigarettes. I wrinkled my nose. _Ugh, straights._

"You caught me," he said guiltily.

I waved it away. "Everyone deserves a smoke every now and then. Should we take our drinks out to the garden?"

He nodded and I, with a slight wobble showing the slight intoxication which was hitting me then, followed.

Lounging in the beer garden, I couldn't help but breathe in the sweet, smoky humid air.

"You want one? I need to lose some so I have less temptation," Iruka offered bashfully.

With a smile and nod, I placed the stick in my mouth and waited for him to light me up.

Inhaling the smoke with a sigh and closing my eyes, my head lolled back. "I missed this," I moaned.

"You quit?" I felt rather than saw Iruka settle next to me on the bench.

I nodded, not looking at him as I took another drag. "I was nine months clean, you bad influence," I teased, emphatically turning my head to face him and taking another smoke from my cigarette triggering the end to glow a red.

Iruka rolled his eyes but I saw him shift a little closer, his dark eyes eating my reflection.

"I can do a lot more than smoking, if you feel like wanting to have a little bit more bad influence in you system," Iruka offered lowly, his hand placed boldly on my knee.

I arched a perfectly tweezered brow, giving a deliberate smoke of my straight. "I don't know what you mean," I said sultrily, placing my hand on top of his, allowing it to pull up my leg. "Maybe I need a demonstration?"

Iruka licked his lips. "Maybe even a preliminary. Just to make sure," he dead panned, his face leaning closer and closer, his own cigarette forgotten in his hand as he stubs it out unintentionally in the ash tray by our elbows.

"Preliminary sounds good," I breathed, before allowing my head to tip towards his our lips a hair's breadth away before I closed my mouth over his lower lip.

I listened to his guttural growl before his forearm crossed across my back, pressuring me into his chest. I inhaled sharply, combing my hand through his scruffy hair, playing with his stubby ponytail, fluttering my fingers through it.

The palm against the small of my back pressed a heat which I couldn't help but arch into his chest causing his mouth to seek my neck and shoulder. I inhaled again, just staring at the dusk light, few clouds making the journey across the dome. Looking to the side I saw many eyes avoiding and staring at us.

I flushed before smacking the back of Iruka's head. He gave a heady moan before I hit it again more frantically.

"You like to play it that way huh?" Iruka growled into my ear.

I smacked my forehead with my palm. "No you idiot," I hissed, crawling off his lap despite his protests. "I'm just not exactly a voyeur!"

He finally realised our situation before turning to give me a sultry smirk. "Let them watch, they can get an education. I _am_ a teacher."

Before I could argue back, his arms swept me off my feet. I squealed, reaching to cover my bum with the fabric of my dress.

"What are you doing?" I said furiously under my breath.

"I'm taking us somewhere more… private," Iruka said, raising his eyebrows. "Unless you _want_ me to do you here?"

I shook my head desperately but ducked my head when we left the pub. Ino still hadn't shown up.

Did I wait for her? I looked to the watch at my wrist and my eyes widened. She was four fucking hours late! _Fuck that!_ Was the last thought that crossed my mind as Iruka continued to carry me away from the alcohol establishment.

I tucked my head under his chin as he walked quickly for at least ten minutes before impatience overcame me and I finally asked where we were going.

"My place," he offered me shortly.

"At least put me down; I'm too heavy," I wriggled to try and prompt him into letting my feet touch the floor.

Iruka's hand tightened on my arse and I couldn't help but gasp in both shock and because of that little dart of energy leading to my groin. "Please tell me we are going to be there soon," I almost moaned.

Iruka's footsteps sped up.

Finally reaching a block of almost-fancy apartments, Iruka bundled me through one of the nearest doors, his hands already frenzied in their exploration of my body, immediately zoning in on my breasts, giving them an experimental squeeze. I gasped, allowing my head to list backwards, already feeling my limbs jellify.

"Like that do you?" Iruka asked, his mouth closing in on mine and despite low intoxication, I couldn't believe I was doing this half sober.

His hot mouth enclosed mine before his hand brushed down my side stroking and pressing his hand into my waist before his fingers pushed against my skin, demanding me to touch him back.

I was happy to oblige.

Cupping him through his trousers, Iruka's head fell to my shoulder with a low groan.

Encouraged, I gave a particularly large rub. Iruka groaned again, sending vibrations to kick start another flush of heat betwixt my legs. I grinded against the back of my hand to push against him, undulating my hips, trying to create the friction I so needed from him.

Hooking a hand around my knee, Iruka hitched it over his hip, pivoting on one foot, his remaining foot knocked the crook of my other knee causing me to fall to the ground with a surprised squeak. Iruka gave me a wolfish grin before leaning to tug at the spaghetti strap that was already loosely clinging to my body, pulling it down to expose the bra. Looking up at me with those eyes of his, I couldn't help the flush of lust just from being the focus of another human being for so long.

Iruka, keeping his brown eyes on my blue ones he slowly crept down my body, giving the nips here and there forcing me to arch up from the pleasure racing through my body, before his head tucked finally between my legs.

I held my breath.

Not taking off my equally lacy underwear, Iruka barely nudged the wet area before I was panting again, pressing his tongue lightly against me, right _there_. I tangled my fingers in his hair to force him to stay where he was.

Then he gave a long lick and I couldn't help but let my head laze back, my fingers tracing his ears as I let him begin to take me.

His fingers hooked into the elastic of my knickers before they slowly inched down my legs to my ankles where they were painstakingly palmed off, finger pads trailing against the skin of my ankle.

Placing his face back against my sensitive area, feeling his hot breath caused me to squirm pleasantly, until Iruka's hands out of nowhere pressed down on my hips, dominating me. I gave out a heady moan just as he sucked my clit causing a roar to begin in my ears.

While in the heady aroma of the oral that I was getting and the one that I was going to give I was unable to stop myself from numbly thinking:

_How far was I going to sink this time?_

…o0o…

_Martin tiredly walked to his bathroom, Saskia had already left for her nightshift with a cheerful kiss to the cheek. She thought he couldn't see it but he knew she was excited to go to work. _

_And not for the love of her job. _

_No she always had a soft spot for her boss. You know the type. Black haired, angsty, face like a smacked arse. If he wasn't so well qualified and didn't wear designer suits outside of work, Martin would have thought he was the gay struggling artist type. _

_He snorted to himself rubbing a weary hand over his face, sniffing the air where he had eaten the lonely pot of macaroni cheese. _

_Opening the medicine cabinet, Martin perused the drugs layered neatly on their different shelves. Spying the white packet with the prescription label smacked on the side. Reading the already well known instructions, sliding the film out of its case, Martin popped two out of their respective beds by their already empty neighbours. _

_Martin hesitated looking up into the mirror, the little white capsules lying there innocently in his worn palm, forgotten. _

_He was only taking them because of the dreams. The doctors knew he wasn't telling the truth when it came to it. Well how was he supposed to know that people didn't dream about eating cereal? He hadn't had normal dreams in ages! _

_Martin shook his head at the ludicrous thought. _I am a complete and utter moron_. He thought to himself. _

_But did he _really_ not want the dreams about Naruto? _

_Sure they were weird when he first got them but slowly he was being drawn in by the blue haired civilian. Who was she? Martin certainly couldn't remember if she was in the manga. Martin gave another sigh. He would probably have to bring out his old collection again. Saskia was going to be so pissed. But he didn't know what to do. _

_It was odd. Every time he touched blue haired Jenny, it was like he was sucked of energy. Every time he touched her, it was like her whole body flared with a light. _

_Every time he touched her, he didn't want to wake up._

_Shaking his head, Martin returned to the matter at hand; the sleeping pills. He'd been taking the prescribed nine day round and after this last pill he wasn't allowed to be on them for at least a couple of weeks. _

_Resigning himself, he raised his hand to pop them in his mouth but hesitated. Was it _really_ so bad to dream about Naruto? It was Saskia's idea to take them especially since she heard him murmur Sakura's name in his sleep. That was a narrow miss to say the least. _

_Did he want to have the action packed dreams where he was needed? Wanted? _

_The answer is clear as he tipped his hand and closed his mouth while taking a swallow of water, Martin swished it around his mouth before spitting to send the pills down the drain. _

_He wasn't ready to let go of Jenny yet._

…o0o…

_A few days my arse_, I snarled to myself irritably. _That lying prick._

Whenever I think of a few days, I think of four to five days at _the most_. Kakashi had been gone _eight_. I had to deal with sorting out the café which slowly was increasing in its customers, people were beginning to hear of my baking prowess. While it was irritating, working from five in the morning and then leaving at six, it kept me blissfully busy.

It was irritating when some people took dates to the café (poor move on the guys part) because I was slowly reminded that I had no one to even hold. But I wouldn't go to seek Iruka or Kiba again. I don't do seconds.

Not that Iruka hasn't tried. While he got brownie points for you know, doing _that_, his actual bed skills had left much to be desired. So a couple of days after our preliminary, Iruka sought me out again.

I shook my head, focussing more on baking than anything else. I had gone out a couple of times drinking but my latest bed mate meant that I wasn't going to look for more. Not that I wasn't itching for it, but I decided to resolve myself to waiting until Kakashi was back.

The lampposts that I had to walk past seemed particularly lonely without the silver haired man to lean against, haloed by the yellow light. While it was a silly notion since he only did it once and that was to tell me he was leaving, I couldn't shake the motion that every time that I didn't come home he would do it to make sure he knew where I was.

Home I called it. I frowned. I suppose I couldn't call it anything other than that. As far as theses past 'few days' have gone, I was no closer to figuring out _how_ to get back to my parents and brother. Undoubtedly, I hadn't put my full effort into it considering that I have been working my arse off in Ino's stupid café, getting reasonably drunk every night to ignore the loneliness of the bed and have a way of dealing with my arms.

Admittedly, not being hung over every single morning was a win on so many levels, that even Ino looked at me disbelievingly when I suggested going out that night too.

In response I had a slammed door in my face.

I huffed again, batting my long ponytail out of my eyes, preparing to go home. This was going to be a long night ahead.

Resigning myself to another sleepless night, I turned to put the sticky, batter covered bowl in the sink, the was a slight tingle of the bell by the door, rolling my eyes I started with all the pans leaving the bowl last so I could lick the raw batter. I felt prickles go up my spine in anticipation just thinking about licking the sugary sweetness.

I came to the doorway to see Ino and some ninja talking in excited voices.

"What is it?" I asked suspiciously when they went suddenly quiet at my approach.

They both shared a look before Ino turned to me, careful and deliberate she looked at her fingernails.

"Oh, you know, my friend just told me of another shinobi coming back," Ino tapped her lip thoughtfully, her brow furrowed. "Who was it again Haruo?"

The man looked uncomfortably between my stony expression and Ino's fierce one, not sure which to be more afraid of.

He settled for Ino.

"Hatake Kakashi," he said finally, clearing his throat.

Everything went tunnel vision and I dumbly looked at Ino for confirmation who just nodded her smile barely hidden anymore. Slowly and unconsciously I palmed off the heels which were part of the uniform if I was walking around in the main side of the café and I put them in the blonde's arms much to her protests and continued on out of the door.

I walked through the street to the market.

I jogged through the disablement of said market, each stall lit up by the sunset.

And I sprinted the rest of the way to the gate with some measured direction from various inhabitants of Konoha.

Finally, out of breath I saw him. I saw him reading his blasted porn that I swore one day I would read too and I saw him slowly look up, a cut on his cheek bone, his arm guards dented and scratched, his armour looking a little worse for wear and I couldn't help but beam despite my earlier grievances against him.

Racing up, I barely yelled "drop the backpack!" and Kakashi fumbled to reply before I collided with him in a massive hug, my legs perching on his hips.

While I had no doubt that he could hold me up I don't think either of us took into account the force in which I was travelling so with the trajectory, I sent the pervert into lying flat on his back with a 'humph!'

I giggled before burrowing my face in his neck again.

"You deserve that you prick!" I said darkly into his ear.

I felt Kakashi's surprise with the stiffening of his shoulders and his arms that were still resting on my back. "What could this old man do, to be greeted so harshly after such a trying mission?"

I also heard his pout. I scowled.

"Since he said that he would be back in a few days but no, I forgot to take into account his perpetual need to be late!" I continued to talk into his shoulder, where I felt some of his armour digging into my face. "And you're not old!"

"Sorry there was a black cat in my path, so I decided to take the long way around," Kakashi said into my ear.

I pushed myself back to look down at him disbelievingly, seeing the eye crinkle I smacked him hard on his arm. "You bastard! I was worried sick!"

I threw my arms around him again, the relief was more than the feeling of anger so with some grudging reluctance I allowed myself to accept the sensation of his alive beating and pumping body. Hesitantly, I lowered my voice so if anyone was eavesdropping, they wouldn't hear me. "Don't leave for so long next time."

I felt Kakashi soften his hard demeanour towards me by relaxing into my embrace, in fact tightening his hold on my body imperceptibly. I beamed into his shoulder, hiding my delight from everyone, accepting this joy for me and only me.

"Not so long next time, firefly. I promise," Kakashi murmured into my ear, causing a shiver of excitement to trail down my spine.

Dismayed at the treacherous feeling, I jumped to my feet standing over Kakashi, holding my hand out to him, plastering a fake smile on my face to hide my alarm.

"Well I need to go back to work to change and I think I have a bowl full of cookie batter with just your name on it," I tried to pass off cheerfully, I feared it came off flat.

Kakashi narrowed his eye at me, but widened when he _looked_ at me. However he just shrugged and picked himself off the floor, brushing the dusty dirt off his backside before turning to pick up his back pack, avoiding eye contact with me. I gazed at him curiously, brushing my blue hair back out of my face, studying him.

I rubbed my nose furiously with my knuckle, trying to figure out his turn-a-bout attitude. Twirling a blue ponytail around my fingers worriedly, my eyes looking anywhere but at the man in question, I continued to walk beside the silent man, trying to contain my nervousness at this aloof Kakashi, almost ruining my elation at having him back.

"I didn't know you were into cosplay," Kakashi said, clearing his throat, rubbing the back of his head.

Startled I looked up, to see Kakashi not _not_ looking at me, more like he was more fascinated with the pathway beneath our feet.

"Huh?" I looked down to which I saw my French maid uniform, with its short hemline both on the torso and the thighs where my garter straps were on display. I blushed, pushing a non-existent wayward blue strand from my face, tugging for once at the shortened skirt.

"Oh, this? This is just for Ino. Apparently it is mandatory to wear it despite no one sees me in it. Not-not that I don't want to wear it!" I rushed to say, waving my hands in front of me like a crazy person. "Well, of course I don't mind it because it's cosplay, but I mean that I don't like that it's not appreciated, but not in like a slutty way where I have guys salivating over it but it would be _nice_ to have _some_ appreciation! Is this making sense? Because if not you can shut me up at any time-"

Kakashi finally having enough, bopped my head (hard if I might add) with his book promoting me to yelp, clasping my hands protectively over my scalp.

"Yow!" I cried out, rubbing the sore spot. "What was that for?"

"It is one of my special remedies for the people who begin to annoy me," Kakashi said casually, flipping another page of his book his angular jaw never once straying to look at me.

My own jaw dropped open, a little hurt coming through. _He found me annoying?_

Swallowing past the little pain in my chest, I mock scowled before picking up the pace, the frills swaying rapidly around my thighs.

"Well, I suppose I won't give you that bowl full of sweet, chocolate infested batter, with a creamy-" I was continuing on the track to make Kakashi jealous when said, ungrateful swine, stopped me with a hand on my elbow. I looked up at him mock haughtily, "can I help you?" I sniffed.

Kakashi rolled his eye before bringing me in for a head rub. Scowling, I couldn't reprimand my body for leaning into his touch which Kakashi had obviously felt as his chuckle spoke volumes.

Taking my body away, I scowled for real this time, turning away from him to angrily stride away.

"Oh come on firefly! It was adorable!" Kakashi tried to smother his laughter behind me but I still heard it.

I flipped him my middle finger never once looking backwards.

"Firefly!" Kakashi called after me humorously, "where are you going?"

"Back to the shop!" I yelled back, my angry strides didn't slow.

"Maybe you want to try taking the correct way? Like maybe the one that takes you straight there?" Kakashi called back, his tone smug. I halted and looked at my surroundings and to my dismay I saw that I had, indeed, walked the wrong way.

Flushing furiously, I pivoted on my heel and stalked my way back to Kakashi who hadn't moved from his position by the junction the road and then had the gall to raise a fingerless gloved hand to lick the pad of his index to peel across another page.

"Not. A. Word." I growled storming past him to head back to the shop, stalking through the rapidly depleting market place, back to the café where Kakashi continued to walk with his backpack on his back, a glaring sign that he had just been on a mission.

Stomping back into the café with a slam of the door, much to the surprise of the patrons who turned to look at me curiously as I headed back towards the kitchen, my stocking clad feet ran ladders up and down my calves some heading as far as my thighs.

With a huff of annoyance, I unclipped the elastic material around my stomach through the thin material of the dress pushing the stockings and the garter belt to the floor in one practiced movement.

I heard a 'fwump' as Kakashi dumped his bag in the corner of the room, his eyebrow almost contemptuously raised as he saw the snakey remains of the stockings. I raised my eyebrows too, lifting my arms to the side. "What?"

Kakashi just shook his head. "Just wondering how long you are going to hold this grudge for," Kakashi elevated his eyebrow even further emphatically.

Just like that, he made me feel like a child and the fight slumped out of my shoulders. "Sorry," I muttered, toeing my bare toe in the wooden slats.

I was looking at my big toe and saw the bloodied nail polish chipping, _I'll probably have to repaint it soon,_ I thought to myself, twisting it to examine the shiny scale in a different light. If I hadn't been looking at my feet, I wouldn't have seen Kakashi's slowly step towards me. I paused everything, my limbs, my eyes, my heart. Tentatively I peeked up to see Kakashi's unreadable eye.

There was a tense moment of uncomfortable silence.

"So where is this bowl of raw cookie dough that you have been raving on about?" he said finally.

Relief restarted my heart and I happily skipped to the tempting bowl that I had placed on the side where I had planned to wash it. I heard a god awful scrape and clatter as the metal backed stool which was usually was abandoned in the corner until it was needed for the blasted bowl on the top of the cupboard, being moved until I heard the settling of a weight.

I turned to find Kakashi already situated at the table, his hands folded on his stomach, tipping on the back legs of the chair, a look of amusement on his face.

Then there was an almighty growl.

We both froze, listening. It came again. We comically looked at each other then at Kakashi's belly where the hungry beast lay. Quick as a mongoose, I snatched the bowl away, leaning to pick bread out of the bread bin.

"Jenny," Kakashi whined, "what are you doing? I was going to eat that."

I huffed, shaking my head. "You probably haven't eaten anything nice for the entirety that you have been away, I am sure you don't even know what a vegetable is anymore."

Kakashi wrinkled his nose at me. "There's a reason I avoid vegetables Jenny, a very important reason."

Turning my body slightly to face him, I lifted my eyebrows in question, still slicing the soft white bread. "Oh yeah? Please, enlighten me."

Kakashi held up two fingers, "Two words: Red. Meat." His fingers curled into his palm respectively.

Snorting, I began to make chutney. "Fine, I'll make something for dinner completely riddled with beef that you are going to regret ever asking me. But for now," I diced some tomatoes and onions, "you are having a sandwich to keep you going and then, and _only then_ will you get to lick the bowl."

Kakashi grumbled something about 'troublesome women' before turning to pick up the rarely put down Icha Icha and began reading again.

We worked in silence. Me, slicing the cheese, smearing the butter and homemade tomato chutney, crushing the lettuce before placing two large slices of white bread together; Kakashi, absently turning pages of his weather worn romance novel.

Finally, placing the sandwich in front of Kakashi, I waited.

Kakashi slowly looked up at me then down at the sandwich and then back at me. Carefully, he pulled the plate towards him, simultaneously placing his orange book by his elbow, he lifted a slice of the bread, inspecting the insides.

There was a moment of silence.

Kakashi bent down to look under the table. I frowned.

"What are you doing?" I asked, a little bit of the annoyance at the check for the food in the sandwich.

"Looking,"

"For what?" I threw my hands in the air in exasperation.

"The meat. It has mysteriously disappeared from my sandwich," Kakashi drawled actually going so far as to go on his hands and knees, looking along the dusty floor.

"Just eat it!" I said, a little bit of hurt layered my voice and that was enough to pull a serious Kakashi out from under the table and dusted his hands on his basically non-existent fabric of his top before daintily picking up the sandwich and paused, his eye staring at me with the unfathomable depth.

Jumping as I realised that he wanted me to turn around, I quickly rushed to the sink to begin to clean the equipment until I heard a low groan that sent tingles to pool around my lower region in happiness. Slowly, so as not to startle him, I turned to see Kakashi with an empty plate, save a few crumbs and a languid Kakashi, just lolling his head back between his shoulder blades, smacking his lips behind that insufferable mask.

"Well? Was it okay?" I asked, wringing my hands in the little apron provided, as the sleeves on the uniform weren't long enough to pull over my wrists.

"Okay?" Kakashi leant further back in his chair, his eye going to the ceiling contemplating my question. "That book I lent you was 'okay'; that sandwich was better than 'okay' kami, I think I want to regurgitate it, just to eat it again."

I gave out a breathy laugh in relief before continuing to wash everything in the bed of soap and water.

"You can start on the bowl now then," I nudged it with my elbow and it rocked dangerously and before I could yank my hands out of their prison of slippery soap, the glass bowl wobbled off the side. I clenched my eyes shut away from the inevitable crack.

It didn't come.

Inching one of my blue eyes open I saw there was Kakashi crouched on the floor, one hand suspended in front of him, his hand the only thing keeping the bowl above the floor. I gave a wheezy sigh of relief as I slumped against the side, holding a wet hand to my chest, as if that would calm my beating heart.

Kakashi pushed himself up calmly from his crouch, twisting on his heel, Kakashi walked back to the table and I saw a glimpse of a dark silvery stubble growing on that jawline before I turned away in courtesy of my friend.

Friend…

Yeah, friend.


	8. Just A Little Bit On Your Mind

Just a Little Bit on Your Mind – Sam Hart

**Kakashi pushed himself up calmly from his crouch, twisting on his heel, Kakashi walked back to the table and I saw a glimpse of a dark silvery stubble growing on that jawline before I turned away in courtesy of my friend. **

**Friend…**

**Yeah, friend. **

…o0o…

Changing out of the frilly uniform was a relief for once because I just wanted to make up time lost with Kakashi. I quickly, swept the floor, in my haste I probably left more than a few flour particles but I threw the broom into the closet uncaring. I could always make it up the next day.

When I gave my uniform back to Ino to put away, she saw the disgrace that were the stockings and other than the inaudible grumble "I'll take that out of your pay check" she let us go.

I almost said that I didn't get a pay check for the amount she paid me, but I thought that sounded a bit bitter so I kept my mouth closed and I continued walking with Kakashi to the super market. I bought a large steak for his homecoming and some lamb where the ever the frugal Kakashi widened his eyes at the price.

"It doesn't have to be _that_ much," Kakashi reminded me lowly for the third time as he followed me to the fruit and vegetable aisle.

I huffed, my eyes zoning on the purple plums and my hands greedily grabbed at the scooper for collecting the spherical delights. I heard a disbelieving snort.

"You really like plums," Kakashi commented dryly, as he saw me grabbing a second large bag to put in the cart.

Shooting him a look that told him plainly, I wasn't taking his attitude, we continued to the check out where we paid for the extortionate price. I think it was possibly the plums.

But I shrugged happily at the receipt, it was my own money anyway.

"Seriously, you didn't have to buy me steak, I am happy with the shitty meat," Kakashi commented insistently.

I rolled my eyes in exasperation, swinging my plastic bag into Kakashi's side playfully. "If you say that one more time, I won't make anything for you ever again," when I saw Kakashi's horrified face I couldn't contain the laughter that bubbled out of my system, I threw my head back and laughed. "Anyway it's fine, I like cooking for people," I smiled and turned back to the path. "If I could, I would do it professionally."

"You _do_ do it professionally," he said with a blatant smirk.

I shot him a glare before turning back to the path. "That doesn't count; I don't get paid _nearly_ enough."

He looked at me curiously. "So why don't you do it professionally then?"

I looked up at his face to see the perplexing dilemma covering the quarter of his face that was on show, like a child who had been told that his parents didn't know why the sky is blue. I laughed lightly again.

"Well, I wouldn't earn anything," I said simply, giving a little skip, to expend some of the energy that I had left over from the excitement of seeing Kakashi.

His dark grey brow furrowed. "What do you mean? You still would earn money, it's a job isn't it?" he argued, quickening his step to stay in line with me.

I stared up at him, almost horrified, stopping in the middle of the empty path. "I would _never_ do it for money!"

"Why not? You do it now," his eye seemed to be unrelenting in his desire to know the ins and outs of why I was so averse to having people pay for my food.

"That's just baking though," I fought back.

Kakashi rolled his hand as if prompting me to continue to explain. I mimicked his hand with my eyes as they turned heavenward, throwing my hands up in exasperation.

"Because I _enjoy_ cooking. I would cook just for the joy of seeing someone eating it. It's like," I paused, trying to phrase this need to cook without return. "When you invite friends around, you don't get them to pay for the food you make for them right? It's like it feels wrong that I get money for something that I love and then they only get that love for an hour while digesting everything. It doesn't seem right." I peered up into his face, "Do you understand?"

Kakashi stared at me for a moment before nodding. "You feel guilty that you get to do what you like while everyone has to pay for the happiness of your food?"

I wavered my hand in between us. "Meh, close enough."

We started walking again, albeit in a more contemplative silence.

"I would end up hating it any way," I said after I could see our flat building coming up.

Kakashi nodded solemnly, his manner suddenly became a little colder as he rubbed his jaw contemplatively.

"So what books have you read in my absence?" Kakashi changed the subject hastily.

His very demeanour seemed to begin to affect the air surrounding us.

I chuckled, swaying the white plastic bag absently, eager to get the light hearted mood between us again.

"Well, I haven't really had much time but I have read one book," I slid a sly look to Kakashi although it was the side where his eye protector was covering his Sharigan so I couldn't see his expression. "But it was pretty shit."

That made him turn around to me faster than I could say 'ninja'.

"None of my books are shit, firefly," Kakashi said haughtily, bringing himself to stand straighter. "It was obviously you weren't reading it right."

I tried to hide my amusement but couldn't help but snicker which made Kakashi's eye narrow.

"You were teasing," Kakashi stated, his tone not amused.

"Oh I'm sorry," I giggled, patting his arm consolingly, "but you just get so defensive when it comes to your books."

I giggled again, almost skipping (again) in my happiness at having my friend back.

"You are so mean," Kakashi shook his head as his steps quickened subtly to keep up with me like earlier.

I sent him a flirty smile. "Oh stop, I think I am blushing," I held a hand to my cheek in mock embarrassment.

Kakashi leaned his head back to inspect the sky, weary. The smile dropped off my face and I stopped us walking in the creeping dusk light, concern framed my face.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, pushing myself to my tip toes to try and see his face more clearly but he childishly turned his face away each time. Irritated, I finally grabbed his chin. "HEY!"

Kakashi rolled his eye downward to look at my face that probably gave him an image of my mouth tightening in a scowl.

"What's wrong?" I continued softly, my grip punishing, loosened until I was cupping his chin instead. Maybe I was just being a little bit unkind with my grip.

Gently, Kakashi pushed my hand down, shaking his head and took my elbow and begun walking again, me dogging his steps, my blue eyes never once leaving his face.

"Nothing, firefly," he said, the pitch of his voice was low in sadness. "I'm just a little bit uneasy."

I nodded like I understood but grabbing his hand I all but dragged him home.

Pushing through the worn thin door, we stumbled with all our bags and I could see Kakashi's surprise at the cleanliness of the room.

"How-" he began to ask, his eye wide as he took in another sofa that was in the place of the one that was covered in kunai holes.

"You didn't think that I would leave everything in the state that it was did you?" I asked incredulity pitching my tone high. "You're just a little bit ungrateful for my presence."

Kakashi was still standing there numbly and with another eye roll, I left him in the living room heading towards the kitchen. I could see the slight film of dust from lack of the usage and I couldn't help but dot the eyes of a smiley face in the remaining dust with a little chuckle before grabbing a wash cloth and began cleaning.

"Obviously you have been working in the kitchen regularly, because you know, you love it so much." Kakashi said sarcastically, finally over his clean living room, now obsessed with the slight dust that even covered the walls. But, in my opinion, that was there before he lived here.

"Whatever, do you want to continue to convince me that I don't want to cook for you, or do you want to get over here?" I asked snippily. "Anyway, it was only a little bit on my mind."

Kakashi contemplated his options for a moment before he peeled off his gloves and headed to the sink to wash his scarred hands and when his sided accidently hit the counter I heard an almost indistinguishable hiss. Almost.

"You're hurt?" I asked, abandoning the cleaning in favour of gently turning Kakashi to me, inspecting him for any visible injuries. "Where?"

Kakashi batted away my hands with a practiced ease which made me narrow my eyes.

"Strip," I ordered coldly, my hands fisted on my hips.

Kakashi folded his arms giving a defensive stance.

"If you don't strip," I uttered lowly, slowly advancing on him, "I am taking you to the hospital and if I can't do that, I will get Sakura who will probably be very, _very_ angry. Now which is it to be?"

Kakashi continued to stand there until he stiffly pulled his top over his shoulders and head until he stood there in all his bare glory and I could guess even with his second mask on that he had a mulish expression on.

I tried to not distracted by all the raised white scar tissue, but I was a little bit blind, to focus on the red and purple mottling covering the entirety of his right side and a seeping wound on his left side possibly cutting something important. It always did on those medical shows right?

Giving a frustrated sigh through my nose that made me seem angrier with the hiss of a snake imitation. I pressed my hand lightly to the ribs which made Kakashi protest again, slightly more audible and I ignored the sound of my ears popping as I felt the sensory overload begin. I rolled my eyes but I could feel the worry for him show on my brow as I continued to prod and feeling the bones seemingly crack and grind together.

Unconsciously, I checked the other side and was unable to tell the difference in all honesty but I nodded my head like I understood what had happened.

"You don't know what's wrong do you?" Kakashi said teasingly, humour evident in his deep, sleep deprived voice.

I blushed but saw my hands flare a bright green hue which I snatched away from him horrified but I was especially surprised when Kakashi brought my hand back almost desperately and sighed when my hand came in rough contact with his ribs again.

"What are you-" I cut off, gaping at the sight of the bruises receding until I saw his rib the exactly same shape as the other, despite what I said about the ribs feeling exactly the same.

What made it worse was when I could feel little vibrations in addition to minute cracking sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies, the only indicator of the bones resetting. I tried not to gag at the sound.

Just when I was about to pull away, feeling the smoothness and seeing the lack of purpled skin, Kakashi's hand tightened on my wrist. With an unknown slowness, he pulled my hand down his contoured chest until it rested on the blood that was still quickly oozing out of the wide hole but as soon as my hand rested over the laceration, I could _feel_ the inside of the wound actually healing before the wound knitted together.

"Man, this is so gross," I groaned, trying to hold in my stomach contents, while feeling a wave of lethargy overcome me, causing me to sway on my feet.

With a reassuring arm, Kakashi pushed my side chastely to sway me in the other direction. With a small smile, I blindly felt behind me to find one of the kitchen chairs to sit down in. Reaching around me, Kakashi pulled out one of the seats, pushing me gently until I flopped tiredly in a chair.

"You okay?" Kakashi asked, bringing up a bare palm to stroke my sweaty forehead, that I didn't realise was moist.

I nodded, despite the fact that I was feeling fluey, nauseous, feverish and lethargic. I tried not to vomit with the movement of my shaking my head. "Yep. Totally fine," I rasped, trying to bat away the hand that was feeling my temperature.

"You're burning up," he said, almost accused which I thought was a bit rich considering that he attempted to lie about his own injuries, which, can I point out were significantly worse.

I swerved to try and avoid the hand that descended on my head again, but over balanced with my heavy head and toppled out of the chair onto all fours, leaving me retching. I heard a sigh over my loud shivers. I felt arms go to grip my legs but my fist shot out to clip his jaw, causing Kakashi to loosen his hold in shock at allowing me to actually get in a hit.

"Move me, and I will not be responsible for my actions," I snarled, keeping my eyes closed to stop the floor dipping and rolling like the ocean.

Thankfully, I could already feel my dizziness receding and I, for some reason thought it would be a good idea to pinch the tender skin of my under forearm and this caused a shock of pain to go through me but I felt a flood of _energy_ and I felt rejuvenated in an instant. Fluttering open my eyes, I saw Kakashi towering over me, his eye tightened in worry.

Springing up like nothing happened, I went to the sink again, rinsing my hands of the sweat before bringing the cool water to my face to wash away the smell.

"Jenny?" I heard a tentative voice behind me.

Turning expectantly, I continued to wash my hands in soap before clanging out pans and pots for dinner.

"Hmmm?"

"Are you…" he paused, not sure how to continue.

"Better? Much," I finished for him before filling the pan with water to boil. "Now help me cut the vegetables."

"I thought _you_ were cooking me my meal," Kakashi grumbled, before grudgingly standing beside me, pulling a chopping board towards him, cutting up mushrooms, wrinkling his nose.

Both of us pretending like the past five minutes hadn't occurred.

"Don't like mushrooms?" I asked teasingly, "Are we going to have to bring in the choo-choo train for ickle Kawashi to eat his wittle veggies?"

Kakashi sent me a glare that told me he was _not_ amused by my tone.

I rolled my eyes, taking the chopping board out of his hands to slice the mushrooms how I liked them. "It's okay, I don't like them much either, that's why I only put a little in. You can do the potatoes then," I pointed my knife to the unpeeled and uncut potatoes.

Kakashi huffed out a breath before moving to retrieve a peeler from the drawer, before he began his duties as cook hand.

We worked in perfect silence, me just revelling in his unimposing presence while Kakashi seemingly ignored me. I didn't mind, I was content with the little jingle of the peeler as it cut through its enemy, the root vegetable, while my own knife thudded against the wooden board as I continued to chop through the mushrooms.

Looking over at him, I saw Kakashi about to cut the potatoes and I involuntary hissed, reaching over to stall him from making the fatal mistake of cutting it the wrong way.

"Not that way!" I cried out dismayed.

Kakashi backed up, holding his hands up in surrender, moving to sit at the kitchen table again, his fist propping up his face as he stared at me working in my element.

"You know, I think you are a bit anal about cooking," Kakashi commented casually.

So surprised with what he said, I dropped the potatoes heavily in the water causing the scalding water to splash on the skin of my forearms.

"Bugger!" I hissed, cradling my forearm to my chest protectively, glaring at the water like it did it with malevolent intent.

"Let me see," I heard his deep voice say next to me, causing me to shriek in surprise, shooting up and back nearly hitting the hot pan again in my attempt to compete with Olympic high jumpers.

It was only because of Kakashi's quick reflexes that saved even _more_ burning water from pouring all down my back. I gave him a rueful smile, before lowering my gaze, tucking a blue lock behind my ear.

"Thanks," I muttered to our feet.

It was because of this vantage point that meant that I could see his incredibly close feet move even closer and spy his hand raising up to my arm which was still rocked against my body, closing his fingers methodically on my wrist. I ignored the flush of sensation, hating the feeling of me feeling invigorated, that infernal beeping sound in the background, just allowing him to examine the damage before bringing me over to the sink where he let a steady stream of water flush out of the tap before testing to see if it was cold.

Satisfied, Kakashi pulled my willing body over to the sink where I noticed our proximity, our silence only breached by our quiet breaths.

"How's it feeling?" Kakashi broke it after a minute or so with the crystalline water pouring over my reddened skin, his deep baritone leaving me flushed at his masculinity.

"B-better," I stuttered and secretly I cursed myself at the weakness in my voice.

I cleared my throat when Kakashi still held my arm under the water.

"I think I can still cook now," I said softly, reluctant to ask Kakashi to do anything.

Kakashi nodded softly, his hair brushing his forehead and I had to avert my eyes before I was overwhelmed with the urge to comb it back, to tame the unruly mess.

I shuffled on my feet, to try and prompt him to move back, which he eventually did to only perch on the neighbouring counter, much to my chagrin. I began slicing the carrots and bringing out a wok, I poured a healthy dose of oil, allowing that to heat, before efficiently chopping up the lamb and sizzling it in the pan.

For the entire hour it took for me to make a stir fry on the side of the steak for Kakashi so he could get all the protein to replenish his system, we worked in silence. Kakashi while leaning against the counter acted as my unofficial assistant and seemed to know what I wanted before I even asked for it, handing me pans before I could ask, forcing me to close my mouth again and turn to the meat and vegetables hissing out their mini cries of pain.

My roommate laid out the cutlery but before I could do it and finally I twisted away from the table to allow him the privacy of taking off his mask. Sensing his disapproval, I quickly talked over him.

"I'm afraid you'd drop the plate if I forced you to eat off your lap. You're too tired, just eat your food," I signified the discussion over with an overly large bite of hot food causing me to choke on the noodles that were running down my throat.

Placing my plate on the less than clean floor, I held my chest, my eyes watering forcing me to try and swallow and expel the searing food. I felt a hand smacking me on the back hard and over the waves swishing in my ears I heard a muffled voice calling to me, trying to get me get my airway clear.

Finally, with a large croak, my noodles threw over to the counter, splattering in a brown mess.

God everything was going wrong that evening.

I grimaced and flushed, darting a glance over my shoulder to see Kakashi's concerned expression.

"I'll clean that up," I said ruefully, to Kakashi's amusement who gave me an honest eye crinkle.

"I have an overwhelming sense of déjà vu," he said teasingly. A red blush flagged my cheeks at the reminder of the first time I met him where I had vomited but still offered to clean it up.

Reflexively, Kakashi pulled me into his chest, offering my comfort despite the fact I was already fine. It should say something about how I acted often enough. Instead, I welcomed the feeling of my friend safe and whole, there still to be alive for my entertainment and sanity.

"I'm glad you made it back safely," I mumbled into his chest praying that he didn't hear the desperation in what I said, hoping that he would realise how much I needed this.

Wordlessly, his arms tightened around me. To let me know that he heard me? To let me know that he acknowledged I said something but didn't hear it? Whatever it was, I felt the encompassing warmth and safety of his being.

He sighed mournfully. "Your lack of faith hurts me."

I laughed, pushing him back, going to the sink to begin cleaning the unpleasant mess on the floor. "Whatever, go over there and eat the steak I so nicely made for you."

He went with his grumbles but I knew from the quick shuffle of his chair how keen he was to eat my greasy steak.

I calmly kept my back to him as I picked my still full plate and put it in the food bin, my ears straining to listen to the scrape of the knife cutting through the tender meat like butter. It was cooked to perfection, if I do say so myself. I heard a slight breath in before I heard muffled chewing.

I kept my methodical motion of the wash cloth following around in a circle.

"I think I don't want you spoiling me too much longer; I don't want me not able to eat the food rations anymore," his voice was careful but I heard the appreciation for my food and I couldn't help the warm glow that always sent me giddy at any compliment that anyone gave after eating one bite of my meal.

"I'll run you a bath to relax," I tried to keep my voice neutral, so he wouldn't guess how happy I was from just one compliment.

"I don't own any bath stuff," Kakashi protested from the table yet was unwilling to leave his meal undefended.

"I'll make do!" I called back, my hand batting away his concern but I think my skipping betrayed my true feelings from his compliment.

I was already in the hallway so I missed the:

"You always do."

…o0o…

Kakashi whispered to himself as he saw the cheery blue haired girl round the corner to go into the bathroom where faintly he heard the gurgle of water filling the tub.

Turning back to his divine meal, he couldn't restrain the moan that urged to come out earlier but he didn't want to inflate Jenny's ego more than usual. Slicing into another piece of the beef, Kakashi piled a little bit of the stir fry, especially mushrooms.

It was something he usually hated but he could have sworn that she covered them in kami goodness because he was raring to eat them. This was completely the opposite on what he did with other people's cooking where there would be a slowly increasing pile of the grey, rubbery food, making his own tower on the side of the circle of porcelain.

Finishing his meal with a lightening quickness, his aching body was enthusiastic for a woman's touch, or caring. This was something Kakashi could get used to.

Someone to cook for him when he came home, to bandage him up when he came back from a danger filled mission, someone to brush his naturally grey hair off his forehead to join the mess on his scalp. To run him a hot bath…

Kakashi shook his head vehemently, averse to the thought of seeing Jenny anything more than a roommate. She was excellent at moving past the awkward. Neither of them would want to have to struggle with what had already transpired between them. He'd seen more of her skin than all of Sakura put together.

Kakashi halted just outside the bathroom, seeing the steam curling up from the bubbly water, Jenny crouched in front of the running water, reading one of his books, enraptured, seemingly forgotten about the water that was more than half way. More than the quarter he usually limited himself to when he, rarely, had a bath.

The economical part of him shrieked that she was killing them, drowning them in the very water they needed to survive. Trying to measure his steps, Kakashi rushed to the tap to switch it off before standing before her.

Jenny barely looked up at his eye and was too busy turning a page to even care what he was doing.

Finally, annoyed at her blasé attitude, Kakashi played with his waist band just to see if Jenny would notice, before undoing the button to his standard, now ripped, shinobi trousers.

The sound of clothes hitting the floor was finally what snatched the closet female pervert from her book and looked at the clothes that were pooled at his feet, travelling up muscled legs, lingering at his brief covered privates, she halted at his chest.

Her mouth moving in wordless appreciation, her pink tongue swiping over her lips, tantalisingly before cheekily meeting his shocked gaze, she finally grinned at his shocked expression.

"I drew the bath," she said needlessly.

Kakashi moved his eyes in their sockets before sweeping his arm past him until it ended at the door, indicating the direction Jenny should have been going.

Instead she stood with a feigned lazy stretch for her back. "You sure you don't need anyone to wash your back for you?" she teased, but still continued on past him turning right again for the bedroom.

"Maybe I'll call you in later, if I get too lazy," he called after her, wanting to have the last word in their repartee.

"Whatever, but maybe I won't want to because who would want to be scarred by the sight of an old man's pot belly!" Jenny called back good naturedly.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. He didn't have a pot belly.

Ignoring his insecurities, Kakashi rubbed the skin on his face that felt as a bin liner; his hand sliding almost seamless on his face until he was hindered by the annoying cloth of his mask.

With a sneaky look to the broken door with the peeling paint, Kakashi mimicked the paint too and removed the black safe guard from his face breathing a lungful of unopposed oxygen. It was a relief, it was clean and he could suddenly feel like the scent of sweet spearmint was overwhelming him.

Placing his feet in the hot water, he could feel his tight muscles loosening under the healing powers of the bubbly water and he couldn't help but sigh and submerge the rest of his body in the cleansing pool, his back to the door, his front to the window.

Why was it that he never had the water higher than a quarter again?

There was that small voice in the back of his head still trying to convince him that he shouldn't get too comfortable because as soon as he was out, this was never happening again and for another thing….

Kakashi lolled his head back to recline on the lip of the bath tub and just released the tension from his chest with a larger huff than before, just contemplating the ceiling with the cracked plaster and yellow damp stains.

Kakashi's mind whirled around the shabbiness of his flat but he couldn't help but feel nostalgic. It was the first and last buy when he completed his first mission in ANBU. This was where he first sat after the death of Obito. Kakashi furiously clenched his eyes shut. No, he wouldn't think of him.

This was a bath of relaxation and atonement. He has atoned for everything in this tub. That was why he avoided it.

He never managed to ever atone for the death of his sparky teammate. It wasn't long after that Rin went and left him.

And what about his father? The one he scorned? The one he would never have followed until he realised that the apple never fell that far from the tree after all.

There was a light lap and Kakashi darted his glance to the water hiding his imperfect body and saw little rain droplets falling and rippling the water. Kakashi examined the ceiling confused before he dabbed a dry hand where it came back damp. He was crying.

Well, it had been a while. It was bound to happen eventually. What with Jenny and Sakura-kami why could he not stop thinking about the pink haired kunoichi?

His eye closed in resignation as his mind made the familiar circle around the confusing girl.

_He ran his hand up and under her dress. It was easy enough for him then to just _flick_ her damp knickers where everyone else was interested in their conversations, otherwise they would have heard her breathy sigh before her head lost its ability to stay upright and it slagged onto his shoulder. _

_Obviously this was when his own mind had to cock block himself. _

_In favour of acting nonchalant despite his finger was playing somewhere that if he and Sakura were anywhere else, he would be definitely not acting like the teasing sensei, he looked over to the bar to try and pretend that he didn't care about the girl that was curled into his side. But then almost stilled his hand. _

_While Jenny was an attractive girl, he couldn't deny that, he never really saw her sexual appeal. Well, he was now very sorry he ever thought that. _

_She was leaning against the bar, her elbow propped on the side while her eyes were demure, you could see the shit eating grin that softly covered her face as she watched the Inuzuka step towards her, boxing her further into her corner. _

_Jenny then said something coy and subconsciously, Kakashi rubbed his finger harder causing the pinkette to bite her lower lip to stall her mew of pleasure. Kakashi was jolted back to himself when he realised he had the girl he loved right next to him allowing him to finger her right there, like something out of Icha Icha, or well maybe as PG rated as it got as far as erotic romance went. _

_Futilely, he tried to avert his attention to something of better consequence but his perverted eyes were drawn to the sight of dark brown hair guarding Jenny's face but he saw perhaps a curve of the tinted lips, saw the drink being abandoned by her elbow and the very hand that held the cold beverage traced its way up to a tanned bicep. _

_Kakashi almost snorted at the sight of the younger shinobi flexing his muscles and Jenny giggling. The tally of using that very pick up when he was in his younger days, well… he would need more walls than he had in his entire flat. _

_He was brought out of his reminiscing by one Sakura who rubbed her thighs needy, begging for more of his touch which he obliged albeit absentmindedly as he kept one eye trained on Jenny who began staggering over to him, her eerie eyes alight with a feverish fire, something he hadn't seen since she came back from that mission, no matter how much she tried to hide it. _

_Kakashi felt his hard on slowly deflate at the remembrance of the lonely and heartbroken picture she made that morning, her kneeling in the water, both hands concealing her eyes and the backs of her now scarred hands pressed against the slow running water of the stream. _

_He was brought out of his memory by the thought that he was staring at her. With the reminder that he didn't want the drunk Jenny to get the wrong idea, he pressed his hand on his neighbours apex of her thighs harder causing Sakura to try and catch her breath. _

"_I'm going home with Kiba, don't wait up." Jenny tried to whisper in Kakashi's ear but almost blew his ear drum, smirking to herself, her pearly white teeth making an appearance giving her pale skin and ethereal eyes a ghostly impression. _

_He was so busy thinking hard about what Jenny was saying that Sakura mewed again quietly to make it evident that she wanted more attention. _

_The sound did not get passed those blue eyes and Jenny's sight narrowed on the hand that was cupping Sakura much to the embarrassment of the pink haired girl. _

_Jenny gave the grey haired man a knowing wink. _

"_Well, if you do wait up I don't think it will be too _hard_." _

_Kakashi wanted to sigh at the obvious euphemism but settled for a disdainful glare but he didn't think he hid the fact that Kakashi was worried about the girl's companion behind her. He saw and felt the impatience of Inuzuka by the bar just from sitting there. _

"_Your wit is astounding," Kakashi drawled, his attention brought back to the dark haired boy who finished necking his pint and was rolling his shoulders, a sign of getting ready to leave. He turned his scrutinising gaze back to the almost squirming blue haired civilian. "Isn't it too soon?" _

_But you know what was too soon? That _Inuzuka's_ wandering hands. _

_Kakashi's dark, almost stormy eye followed the boy's hands as they slid not at all subtly towards Jenny's breasts, stopping at fully cupping them. _

_But what was he doing? And why did Kakashi care? He wasn't her keeper any longer. While he might not fully trust her, she was a good roommate from all the three days that he had her but he couldn't shake that…_

"_I'll be fine," Jenny had the audacity to shoot him another jaunty wink. "You just focus on you." _

_Finally, the inferior Casa Nova brought his hand to actually take Jenny's breasts in his hands, sending Jenny leaning back into his chest. Or it could have been because he was forcing her back, forcing her to enjoy it…_

_Kakashi scolded himself for the overprotective instinct he was getting. He was sure Jenny would be fine…_

_Kakashi almost flinched at the sight of Jenny's reaction which had hardened what had been soft between his legs. It was as good as any virgin. _

_But Jenny didn't linger. _

_Without a word of goodbye, the blue haired wraith left with her prey, through the door and into another. _

_Kakashi thought that he could now focus on the beauty beside him to his full degree but try as he might, to escape into the lust filled haze, he saw Sakura's actions and he was unaware that he had thought _Jenny wouldn't act like that, she would tip her head where she would gasp and…

_Gah! He needed to stop thinking about her like that. _

_But what if she was in danger? _

_The very thought made Kakashi's blood still in the very veins that contained them._

_It was lucky then, when his former student had a tendency to be impatient. _

"_Let's go back to yours," Sakura said her clear eyes bright and sober. _

_He shuffled on the seat undecided. This _was_ what he had wanted for almost a year now… _

_The decision was made for him when the powerful kunoichi bumped her hip into his forcing him to leave the booth first. _

_While he wasn't inebriated, Kakashi was pleasantly tipsy and tipsy made him more affectionate. _

_Sneaking out the door, leaving their friends with the bill, Kakashi cupped Sakura's opposite hip, something more chaste than what he usually would want but his mind was on other things. _

_Like where was Jenny? Was the Inuzuka treating her well? Did she need help? _

_Shaking his head, he determinedly focussed on the girl beside him, not the one lying with another man at this point. _

_The journey back was a blur where he was aware of Sakura's lascivious strokes across all his body before they made it up to his flat where Kakashi teasingly took an extraordinary amount of time but gave up any pretence when the kunoichi took the initiative and grinded against him, causing Kakashi, the famous Copy Nin, to pause as the wave of pleasure roared through his previously stunted blood. _

_Stumbling through the door, like every cliché, they began to maul the other's face as soon as Sakura ripped the material of his mask in her eagerness to reach his smooth lips. _

_The sound of ripping clothes hardened the semi that Kakashi already tended and in return he reached for the zipper on Sakura's vest, his eyes enraptured by the heaving of the ribs, allowing her bust size to be increased. _

_The sound of the zipper was so incredibly loud as it was moved slowly from top to bottom before it was released. With an aching slowness for Sakura, Kakashi began soft open mouth kisses from her prominent collar bone making his way down the giving, soft flesh. _

_Sakura weaved her hands into the older man's unruly hair in unadulterated passion, holding him to her chest._

_Too excited, Kakashi pushed Sakura onto the couch, his head roaming southward where Sakura's stomach clenched delighted. _

_Pinging the elastic band on the white cotton that Sakura was wearing, Kakashi accepted an unwelcome thought that Jenny was wearing a hot pink number that the silk unconsciously cupped-_

Kakashi yanked himself out of the memory, an erection in the hot water wasn't making it any easier on his body he wanted to stall the wave of bitterness but as much as he wanted to deny it, they were a little bit out of time.

The grey haired man rubbed his chest as if he could massage the emotional ache from it. Stupid organ.

Keeping his head lolled back, he wondered if Sakura was thinking about him too? Or had she gone to Sasuke in the time that it took for him to return home?

Kakashi shook his head. He really needed to stop thinking about that. She was with him now, not the bastard.

Rubbing on the soap decisively, Kakashi allowed himself all the time it needed before the hot leaked out of the tub. If he was going to be paying for that water bill, he damn well was going to make it worth it.

There was a strong knock on the open door and Kakashi barely had the time to recover the mask around his neck before his roommate sauntered in, heading directly toward the shower. Being the pervert he was, Kakashi caught the sign that Jenny hooked her thumbs into the waist band of the trackie bottoms she was wearing and was about to slide them off her bony hips.

"How's that bath doing you?" she asked from behind Kakashi and he just managed to get a nod out before he pretended he was distracted by his hastily picked up pornographic book rather than the attractive girl who had entered the shower where after a couple of minutes her sweet mango scent permeated the claustrophobic bathroom.

Kakashi merely grunted, trying to focus on the wavering lines in front of him but could not restrain the thought of naked water running down an equally bare Jenny. Down those breasts…

Down boy! Kakashi mentally ordered his hard on as it tried to peek out through the mountains of bubbles.

Think of Sakura! Those heated moans from the other night, the small breasts that reminded him of an equally small chested bluenette.

Kakashi slapped himself very hard with a resounding clap. So loud that Jenny hopped quickly out of the shower, looking for the enemy her bare body on show for all to see despite the window not being frosted glass.

With the sight of the tones arms and almost toned belly, Kakashi felt a strong urge to slap himself again, but maybe this time not to stop until he was unconscious so then he wouldn't be haunted by the sight of the wraith like creature hunting for danger.

To hide his alarm at the sight of his roommate, he darted a glance towards the neighbouring building's window where he saw a young man walk past but pause. Back tracking, this man stopped in front of his window where he gaped at the naked profile of Jenny, who was still oblivious to her surroundings and was heading towards the bathroom door to try and see the "intruder".

"What are you looking for?" Kakashi drawled, trying to restrain the part of him that was begging to protect the younger tenant from the pervert across the building.

_If that guy is a pervert for an accidental peeking, what does that make us?_ That annoying inner voice said.

Shaking his head to turn his attention towards the Jenny who had a look of complete confusion and was ignorant of the orange tinted foam layered in the blue strands.

"I just thought I heard…" Kakashi almost felt guilty for sounding so judgmental but he pushed that side of him away irritably and made himself look up drolly.

"Well I am sure that you _will_ hear that guy across from us having one off the wrist in a minute if you don't get back in the shower," Kakashi said casually, his hand simultaneously turning a page.

The horror that dawned on her face was almost comical. Almost.

Jenny looked towards the unobstructed window where she did indeed spot an acne covered face, arranging a box of tissues on the side. Jenny gave a loud squeal which made even the usual level faced Copy Nin wince at the pitch but watched in amusement as Jenny comically dived for the shower stall, her derriere unknowingly sticking up in the air, more tantalising.

"Jesus! What is it about this fucking village that surrounds me with the fucking creepies?!" Jenny yelled to herself, continuing her shower as she freaked out.

"Hey!" Kakashi interrupted in fake outrage. "You are one of those 'creepies' too." The unspoken quotation marks there.

There was a snort and a squeech as more soap came out of a bottle. "Please. I don't count."

Kakashi frowned but a thought highlighted his thoughts and timed when Jenny was going to leave the stall.

With the skill of a shinobi, Kakashi climbed out of the bath tub exactly as Jenny left the shower, expecting the grey haired man to have his back to her. She couldn't have been further from the truth.

Kakashi took a perverse pleasure in seeing the bluenette speechless as she followed every crevice which had trails of water following.

"I stand by my statement: you are a pervert," Kakashi stated smugly at the popping of Jenny's eyes as she realised that she had been staring at his body.

With a flush and another squeal, she turned her back to him, hunting along the floor for a towel.

"You are a massive dick," Jenny mumbled, wrapping a blue towel tightly around her torso and with more force than necessary, chucked a more ratty towel over her shoulder to Kakashi who glanced over his shoulder to the window where he saw the creep jerking off still looking at Jenny, completely oblivious to Kakashi's presence.

With an annoyed grunt, he walked in direct line of the creep's gaze who to his great amusement gave a look of complete horror before falling back heels over head. Satisfied, Kakashi bent to pick the grey material from the floor and began to rub down his body, his eye looking to the body of water still in the tub with a sigh of disappointment.

_So much for using it for all its worth_, he thought as he morosely unplugged the bath tub and tying a hard knot at his waist, Kakashi walked into the bedroom to get some pyjama bottoms, finding Jenny already in a pair of his boxers and t-shirt, snuggling into the duvet.

"Nice pyjamas," Kakashi commented pointedly.

Startled, Jenny looked down at her chest and blushed again as she realised that she was wearing his clothes and awkwardly rubbed her nose with her knuckle.

"Sorry, this was the only thing to reassure me when you were gone," she said sheepishly, tracing his duvet with her index fingernail. "Guess sort of new habits die hard."

Kakashi pulled on his bottoms and replaced his soiled mask with a new one as he slid into the bedding as well.

"Aw, someone missed me?" Kakashi said teasingly, bumping his shoulder into Jenny's before sliding further down in the sheets, getting comfortable after at least a week of sleeping on the hard ground, the mattress was a welcome change.

Jenny shoved his shoulder irritably before also moving so she lay horizontally. "Shut up. You already knew that," she grumbled but still, he was hyper aware of a hand that came to rest on his shoulder and all the feelings of the sheets became numbed to him.

Kakashi held in the need to flinch away from her touch but continually worried about the feeling of the lack of touch, his senses were dulled, anesthetised.

The lightness in his mind was overwhelming him and unable to fight the feeling of sleep with such a comfy mattress cradling his body, Kakashi succumbed to the need to shut down with the pretty girl next to him.

…o0o…

**Just wanted to say thank you to the reviewers that I couldn't pm back :3**

**Way to boost the self-esteem there. You guys are awesome.**

**Oh by the way, the song that I had as the title of the chapter, I kind of based the chapter around it but also did what the hell I want :P but you guys should totally give it a listen.**

**Also if you guys want some funny awkward filler idea that you want Jenny and Kakashi to play out, just pm me and I'll try and fit it in where I think it works.**

**~JustThatKindOfSpecial**


	9. Not The Little Girl You Thought

Not The Little Girl You Thought

"**Aw, someone missed me?" Kakashi said teasingly, bumping his shoulder into Jenny's before sliding further down in the sheets, getting comfortable after at least a week of sleeping on the hard ground, the mattress was a welcome change. **

**Jenny shoved his shoulder irritably before also moving so she lay horizontally. "Shut up. You already knew that," she grumbled but still, he was hyper aware of a hand that came to rest on his shoulder and all the feelings of the sheets became numbed to him. **

**Kakashi held in the need to flinch away from her touch but continually worried about the feeling of the lack of touch, his senses were dulled, anesthetised. **

**Unable to fight the feeling a sleep with such a comfy mattress cradling his body, Kakashi succumbed to the need to sleep. **

…o0o…

_Trapped._

_I wanted to pound my fists on the body like prison. I just wanted out! _

_There were those paper rustles again, but so close to my ears that I wanted to flinch away but my body didn't do anything. _

_Why wasn't it doing anything?!_

_Dear Lord help me, I am begging you. Where was mum? Dad? Nathaniel? Rin?_

_Susie?_

_Why were they leaving me here? _

_I could barely manage to twitch me toes. However the more important issue was that I had something stuck down my lungs, blocking my airways yet I was still breathing._

_How was that even possible?! Jesus I was freaking out. _

_I couldn't fight my way out of this. I couldn't feel hunger. I couldn't feel thirst. I couldn't blink let alone even thinking of breathing out of my nose instead of my mouth. _

_The feeling of my legs filled with lead made my heart want to increase but instead there was a numbing feeling of it not reacting. _

_And then, there was that beeping. That blasted, bloody beeping. It was in my ear, it was surrounding me, it was like an axe waiting to drop. _

_I wanted to scream and I wanted to cry. _

_I was gonna cry. I was gonna cry. _

_I was gonna-_

I sat up straight with a gasp, my eyes opening wide, my lungs begging me for breath, oxygen, blissful oxygen. I grasped my chest like every cliché after a nightmare.

The nightmares were back.

While Kakashi was gone, I worked myself into oblivion and if the work wasn't tiring enough I drank myself to the equal plane.

I allowed myself to flop my heavy head into my awaiting hands.

But none of them were so _vivid_ like this one before now.

I could feel my chest tightening with a familiar panic, my heart thrumming in a bird's wing beats. Finally reacting unlike in my dream.

There was the early dawn light, a barely grey colour, that was lighting the room, giving me distinct sights of the objects around me, trying to comfort me through the familiar surroundings, even the one lying next to me.

I looked over to the side where I saw Kakashi's body was motionless other than the occasional breath. While his back was faced towards me, I slowly tilted my body so it was leaning over so I could glimpse at his profile.

He still wore that stupid sleep mask and unlike the other guys I knew, he didn't sleep shirtless. Or he didn't unless he couldn't help it in this muggy country.

In my panic induced state, I didn't realise I had found my hand inching towards his face. I knew the first time that I had met him I said I would respect his privacy, but the curiosity seemed to only be piqued more with each passing day and resulting way he finds a way to hide his face. Maybe if I took a quick look then maybe the fear in me would tone down, at least knowing something was real and I could affect it.

Barely a centimetre away, I stopped. If I did this, I would finally put a real face to the name, my curiosity sated and my mind would be at peace.

Then I frowned. But if I did do this, I would lose my friendship, my companion, my free books and comfort. I would lose him.

I sucked in a breath before rolling away silently and swung my legs out of the bed.

I needed to get out of there. _Right. Now_.

Quietly, I darted to the dresser where I got my sports kit out and changing hurriedly, finding my heart was racing already with no sign of slowly down. I had to do something about this, the nightmare still had its hold on me and I didn't know how to stop it.

I was lacing my trainers before I knew it with my shaky hands and I was out of the door, trying to hold my panic attack until I was further away, until I was pounding it into the ground with my feet.

When I trekked down the frightful stairs, I began to sprint for the outskirts, looking to lose myself in the treeline. However, it felt like I was never getting any closer, each house seeming like the one before it, the pavement appearing the same dirty slab that I was running on.

I knew that this was just one of my side effects and that the dizziness was going to be soon overwhelming me, but I kept trying to move forward but it was like trying to sprint through treacle. It just couldn't be done.

Slowing down, I propped myself on the nearby wall, trying to regain my breath, my sanity and anything that seemed to be lost in the haze of my panic. I was panting and sweating despite the cool morning and my eyes seemed to blur in front of me.

I grasped the wall harder.

"That wasn't as long as I thought it would be," I mild voice commented from my side.

I screeched in surprise, ducking to a crouch ready to run again but relaxed when I saw who it was.

"Not now Kakashi," I turned my gaze away from him, to look anywhere but at him dressed in a black tight fitting top coupled with a mask (of course) and running shoes. I clenched my chest as it tried to deal with the new variable, attempting to reach into my cavity to try and slow my beating organ down.

I didn't want him to witness another attack where he would have to calm me down again. I didn't want him to think I relied on him, on his presence in my weakness.

_But we do don't we, you can't do anything yourself_, a small part of me whispered cruelly. I closed my eyes, a whimper reaching up through my throat ready to turn into sobs at any given time.

Instead of answering, Kakashi began to languidly stretch, not once did his eye go over my haggard form, despite sprinting for all of two minutes, giving the impression of privacy in a not-so-private-setting, for which I was grateful.

"I know a good track to do if you want, about three, four miles if you are up for it," Kakashi finally said, ignoring the situation entirely, his eye finally going over my heavily panting chest and the visible shakes in my hands. "I'll even let you set the pace."

He gave me a reassuring eye crinkle that loosened the rope that was binding my chest into not taking the normal volume of air.

But still I stared at him. What was he doing? Why wasn't he looking awkward like he should be doing? My mouth hanging slightly open after the pants I had been making until I resolved that since Kakashi didn't seem to mind, I would close it.

In its place, I simply nodded uncertainly, before jogging at a slightly lighter pace from my frenzied dash.

While I didn't say it, I was glad Kakashi was running next to me. It was a reassurance to mean that I wouldn't do anything crazy while just doing that. A simple run.

Finally, I had someone to trust implicitly without the need for my family.

The family I wasn't so sure I would find again.

It had been almost half an hour, it had been building up to erupt. I knew it, my brain knew it. It was just time to stop. I stumbled to my knees where Kakashi tried to catch me but I yanked my arm out of his hold, trying to avoid the intensifying senses as allowed my feverish face to lie in the dusty ground, just begging for a simple answer to my problems.

Why couldn't I just go back?

I allowed the water damn that had been bursting in my throat finally break free and I let my misery out through the physical shakes of my shoulders and the wasted water leaking out of my face.

I felt a crunch next to me where Kakashi crouched and there was a moment of silence before there was a light, hesitant hand on the small of my back giving tiny small soothing circles. I almost hated the touch as it amplified everything. Everything. My feelings, my smell.

But then I could imperceptibly feel like there was less lead in my legs, the complete opposite from my dream which calmed me down to large degree.

I lay there until I finally felt my tear ducts close, unable to force more than a single tear out further.

"Time to go?" he asked, his voice never betraying what he truly thought which I couldn't decide whether it was a blessing or not.

I nodded dumbly into the ground, relishing the feel of the small pain of the bread crumb gravel grinding against my face.

Hooking a hand over my elbow, Kakashi tugged me up and we slowly walked back to the flat in silence, with the morning sun christening our bodies in blood red and woke up the rest of the inhabitants of the village.

…o0o…

The morning continued like how it normally would. Me, cooking breakfast while Kakashi sat at the table, feigning conversation as he read his book.

But I wasn't going to let him off and made a joke about making my other sexual dish the Daisy-Chain, if he wanted it.

He did not appreciate that and was the first time where I got given the silent treatment from Kakashi.

Walking out of the door, with a cheery wave, I made it to the shop in time to see a bleary Ino opening it on the opposite side of the door, away from the chilly morning which was deceptive to the humid heat which was sure to come later.

I couldn't wait for the day to come to an end so I could be with Kakashi again. I knew he couldn't tell me about the mission but I was certain he could tell me more about the countries surrounding Konoha. The things he would have seen, the different cultures!

I was almost salivating.

At the end of the day, I impatiently cleaned the surfaces and left, again, more than a few flour dust particles in my haste to go.

I slinked out of my uniform with a practiced ease and all but sprinted home where I unlocked the door with feigned nonchalance, knowing that I rushed would only inflate Kakashi's ego further.

With a shake of my head, I walked in calling:

"Hey Kakashi! I got some more spare foods for us!" I placed the plastic bags with the plastic tubs of the uneaten confectionary, inside, on the coffee table. "Tonight we'll dine like kings!"

There was an eerie silence and I frowned, going through all the rooms finding no sign of the pervert anywhere. I tried to tamp down the disappointment. He didn't need to stay around and baby sit me after all.

He was probably with Sakura.

Going into the lonely, absent kitchen, I began to make a dinner. There was no hesitation as I made enough for two so Kakashi could decide if he wanted to eat later or not.

Turning to eat at the table, my eyebrows shot up in shock at the sight of a flimsy bit of paper with an elegant scrawl that made me doubtful that it was from Kakashi.

Regardless, I picked up the paper with a dubious index and thumb.

_Firefly,_

I snorted but continued.

_Gone out with friends. Don't wait up. _

_Number One Pervert. _

Another snort and I flicked the paper to the opposite side of the table and began to dig into the spicy meal. The quiet was pressing. The lack of presence punishing.

I swallowed a particularly large bite before going to the bedroom.

Might as well try to get an early night.

…o0o…

"So did the hellion jump your bones as soon as you got home, Kakashi-_sensei_," Iruka said bitterly, taking a mighty gulp of the larger in front of him, licking away the foam from his upper lip.

Kakashi looked up from his porn to frown in confusion at his friend. Well, who he _thought_ to be his friend.

"Aw, don't mind him Hatake. He is just bitter that he got rejected by your estranged daughter," Asuma rolled his eyes heavenward before taking a particularly large inhale of his cigarette, dashing it against the side of the ash tray to let sparks rain down into the glass.

"My estranged daughter?" Kakashi was steadily becoming more and more confused as this line of questioning continued.

"Jenny! It's Jenny!" Iruka finally snapped annoyance crinkling up the corners of his eyes as he squinted angrily at him.

Kakashi, ever the cool man, simply stared at the irate man until he finally became slightly more chagrined, looking down at his lap, the very picture of a naughty child being scolded.

"Sorry, it's just that she gave such good hea-"

Kakashi horrified, clasped his ears with his hands on the verge of childishly shouting "lalalalalalalalala!" but his reputation kept him from sinking that low. But it was close. Oh, so close.

"Ah come on Kakashi," Genma chipped in, rolling his own cigarette while eyeing the rest of the women in the beer garden. "You can't tell us that you didn't hit that before officially going out with Sakura, can you?"

Kakashi just glared at the man who was in the process of licking the paper. Genma paused as he took in Kakashi's defensive position and hadn't even let his eyes flit to the neighbouring girls, one of whom was blatantly checking him out and was doing everything except dropping her knickers directly in front of him.

"You haven't!" Genma accused, dropping his roll up to point at him in shame.

Even Gai had stopped downing his second beer in favour of almost splurting it all over Kakashi who dodged neatly into another seat on the circular bench and gave them all a look of distain.

"You _haven't_ tapped that?" Izumo and Kotesu demanded in synchronisation.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Izumo continued, his eyes closing, dreaming of that body, that hair…

He was rudely shaken away by the sharp clonk from the book that had been thrown at him, forcing him to fall on his back.

The occupants turned to the grey haired man, who still had an orange book in his hand.

"What did you-?" Iruka started tentatively.

"It was one of my shittier books that I didn't get round to putting back on my shelf," outwardly, Kakashi was the epitome of cool and collected as he shrugged.

However, inside, Kakashi felt as if the metaphorical rug had been yanked from underneath his sure footing. Sweet, innocent Jenny giving head? She gave Iruka a blow job? She _gave _Iruka a blow job?

When did this happen?

But more importantly, why did Jenny not say anything about this?

Feigning nonchalance, Kakashi cleared his throat to get the attention of the teacher at the academy.

"Iruka, did you mean what you said? About-"

"Jenny-san giving me a blow job? Damn straight. She isn't too bad between the sheets either." Iruka grumbled grudgingly, tearing open a crisp packet to make it a free for all and he set about getting another drink out of his pint, eying Kakashi over the rim who hadn't looked up from his book.

"Hey, Kakashi?" he continued to scrutinise the man who continued to stare down at his book studiously, despite he hadn't moved his eyes for at least a few minutes.

The other man just grunted in recognition.

"Did you seriously not, you know?" Iruka asked, his voice layered with suspicion and incredulity.

Kakashi, taking his time, placed a finger in the book to mark his page and gazed steadily at the other man, oblivious to the tense silence surrounding him, the men at the edges of their seats, desperate to hear the answer.

"No, I did not, fuck her, shag her, bang her, screw her, tap that, make her see stars, give her the night that she won't forget and, or, rock her world," Kakashi listed aimlessly, his voice deceiving the hard look in his eye, each warning the men on the table not to question him.

There was a silence. There was a very large silence that was only broken by Kotesu's and Izumo's coughs to try and diffuse the awkward tension, which had irreversibly changed the perceptions that the grey haired man had of his roommate.

With the speed of a flying sebon, Kakashi had finished his drink and was waving goodbye to his friends, who had barely glanced at him from their embarrassment at the time.

And it was only when they looked up, they realised that he left his tab for them, signalling a groan in unison.

…o0o…

It was when Kakashi began his walk home that he began to think of Jenny.

Sure he knew that to other men, Jenny had sexual appeal. He knew that she was aesthetically pleasing to the eye and had a nice personality to boot. That is if you didn't count the blow up about her clothes being destroyed. However, what woman wouldn't be?

Kakashi kicked a stone distractedly, allowing the slight scrape across the ground pause his rummaging thoughts.

It was like he never really thought that she meant what she said, about liking older men. But obviously he was _very_ wrong indeed if she did what Iruka said she did.

Rubbing his face, Kakashi sighed looking up at the half moon in the sky. But what of Kiba? Was he even in the picture anymore?

Yes, he suspected she would sneak out, but maybe it was like every romance novel that he had read that meant that she was scared of her feelings for the man?

He shook his head. Jenny wasn't like that.

Climbing the stairs to the flat, Kakashi couldn't help but wonder what Jenny did the entire time that he was away. Did she invite men back to his place? He shuddered at the thought. He would change the sheets and disinfect everything, despite the time and effort it would take. He would take no chances.

Reaching the door after a few minor slips that even the best of ninja couldn't have avoided, Kakashi rummaged around his pockets for his keys.

What a better question to think about was, could he even trust her?

She had been suspected of being a rogue nin when she had first arrived and while Kakashi was convinced that she wasn't, it didn't mean that she wasn't lying about anything else.

For example, her family. Where were they? Kakashi knew that she knew.

And Kakashi knew that she knew that he knew.

So why was she lying?

He could tell that she was because of the nervous habit of rubbing her nose with a knuckle, or trying to pull her non-existent sleeves down her arms, but he pretended that he didn't see it.

Sighing again, Kakashi inserted the metal into the lock and twisted his way in, where he found everything dark, apart from the sliver of light that came from the door way down the hall which led to his bed room.

Untying his bandages around his lower legs, Kakashi removed his shoes by the door and silently made his way to the door and peeked through the gap.

He could just barely see Jenny, all tucked up in bed, the reading light next to her turned on as she flipped another page in a different book that he _knew_ he didn't recommend to her.

Her peacock coloured hair was in a messy bun on the top of her head and she still was wearing his t-shirt that he offered the night before, but it hung slightly more off her feminine frame, exposing her prominent collarbones that surprisingly were unscarred.

Despite popular belief, Kakashi thought the most erotic part of a woman was the collarbones. Sure, breasts and the lower places were all fine and good for a quick round of sex. The real issue Kakashi had was when the women innocently showed their unmarred collarbones.

While Sakura's were more prominent than most, hers had slight shiny littering of kunai scars and what not, which then dulled the light of her femininity.

Jenny scratched an ear lobe as she eagerly turned another page, her eyes alighting in a fervour. Kakashi smirked.

Ahh, she was on the sexy page.

From where he was standing, he couldn't discern the title of the novel but he knew that the majority of his books went from mild to extreme very quickly.

The most innocent were put in boxes in another room.

If there was no porn, then why the hell was he reading it?

Jenny gave a slight whimper and Kakashi froze as he watch Jenny's legs that were under the covers rub together, to try and create a friction that if his sources were correct (and Iruka was pretty thorough) she hadn't had sex for the past few days and was probably feeling the with drawl.

But never once in the half an hour, that Kakashi spent creepily watching her, did he see Jenny reach down to settle the ache. In fact, he would go so far to say that she was _averse_ to the idea of touching down there. In standing there for that length of time, even Kakashi realised he was being more weird than usual but he just couldn't turn his eye away. He was almost tempted to lift his eye patch to memorise every moment, in case he missed a wayward hand.

His perverse mind couldn't help but wonder if the curtains matched the carpet.

It was bad. He knew it. But it was an insatiable curiosity that overcame him and even was the thing that drew him to Sakura when he started seeing her in a more womanly light.

And just for the record, Sakura's curtains and carpet matched.

Daydreaming about _that_ was not helping the situation any.

It was then that Jenny had decided to get up and stretch before walking to the door. Kakashi was so stunned at seeing just Jenny's blue with white daisy knickers under her thin t-shirt, where he could see her nipples were poking out obviously, that he forgot that he would seem like a peeping tom.

With the haste of someone a quarter his age, he pretended that he had been lounging on the couch for an unknowable amount of time when Jenny came in yawning, heading towards the kitchen but paused in the doorway, unwittingly realising that she spied the pervert and turned her attention back to the couch where Kakashi raised a hand and said:

"Yo."

Jenny narrowed her eyes and folded her arms irritably, tapping her foot.

"And where have you been?" she arched an eyebrow, her mouth tightened in displeasure.

"Right here," Kakashi said vaguely, knowing that wasn't what she had meant.

"Obviously not since I have been waiting since _forever_ for you to come back," Jenny sighed melodramatically and flopped on top of Kakashi who gave no sign that he noticed her.

Pouting, Jenny's mouth brightened into a smile that made him suspicious and was finally brought into the idea when she began to wriggle her body on top of his.

While pretending that he didn't care, this couldn't have been further from the truth. He focused on the bare flesh probably rubbing up and down his lap and her breasts that kept inadvertently thrusting into his chest at random intervals in a strangely successful way of distracting his from his book.

If he had been paying attention to it in the first place that is.

"Come on," she whined playfully, "you can't tell me this isn't annoying you a little bit?"

Kakashi stared up at the ceiling as if contemplating her question.

"I'm getting a free, albeit moving blanket," Kakashi said smoothly, just compelling himself not to do anything stupid. "Oh and the free breasts." And there went that idea. He just hoped that she would take it as his dry humour bait.

His response just made Jenny snort derisively. Hook, line and sinker, he thought before Jenny moved herself over to the end where she picked up Kakashi's feet and began soothing rubs causing him to give out a little, embarrassing moan.

"Pervert," Jenny said teasingly, giving a particularly hard rotation on the ball of his foot, causing his toes to curl deliciously.

"Mmm and proud of it, oh a little more to the left? _Yeahhh_, that's the stuff," Kakashi allowed his hand to droop to the floor and his head to rest against the arm rest as he focussed on the feelings that he was getting from the talented fingers. "I can understand why you are good at making bread; your kneading is exemplary."

Jenny gave another snort but he could feel the smug satisfaction leaking out her body.

"Don't let it go to your head," Kakashi chastised when he found the energy to open his eyes to see Jenny had a small smile on her face.

"No, that's not what I'm thinking about, you moron," Jenny shot back, the small, sweet smile never leaving her face.

"Then a ryo for your thoughts?" Kakashi pushed himself up, taking his bare feet away from those distracting hands.

"It's just silly," Jenny said, her hand batting it away like a bothersome fly.

The smile was still there.

"Please?" he said, pouting obviously, so that she would see through the mask.

Jenny rolled her eyes before lounging backwards, her back arching over the arm rest to stretch it further. He heard a satisfying crackle as her spine cracked if there was any indication from the pleasured moan that escaped her mouth in a fleeting moment. Kakashi wanted to shift uncomfortably, but knew that Jenny would latch onto the movement.

"It's just I remember doing this for my brother, after a particularly long boxing match," Jenny shook her head self-deprecatingly. "He does this annoying thing that he continues to whine at having two cooks in the house meant that surely _one_ would be able to give massage to his poor, poor feet."

Jenny grinned again, her teeth glistening white in the dimly lit room.

"Well anyway, mum is always 'too busy making Sunday lunch' and I end up getting stuck with the job and had to endure it every Sunday and every match in between." Jenny's smile now turned sad but Kakashi had latched onto another truth, another sign that she had lied about her amnesia.

"Is he good?" Kakashi omitted from pointing this out further; he would rather her to be more vulnerable so that he wouldn't have to dig his way through all the different stories and emotions.

He preferred them raw.

Jenny nodded. "Very good. He has the best teacher in his university, he's gotten to national level but said that he wouldn't continue if it got in the way of his studies, which it hasn't but he is still planning on giving it up."

Kakashi frowned in confusion. "Why would he give it up if he was good at it?"

Jenny shrugged, rolling her shoulders back as if trying to remove a hidden tension. "I guess, dangerous for the brain? None of us really like him in the ring, his girlfriend especially, but Neil does what Neil wants."

He nodded as if this made sense. It didn't.

Why would anyone stop what they did best? Kakashi was still a ninja wasn't he?

Jenny gave a jaw popping yawn that Kakashi could hear from the other end of the couch and got up to move to the bedroom and predictably, Jenny followed him where he began to prepare for bed.

Unlike earlier, Kakashi noticed the books stacked next to Jenny's side of the bed. Kakashi lowered his brow in bewilderment, turning his gaze to Jenny who looked at him in equal confusion until she noticed the books where the realisation lit her face like a lightbulb.

"Oh, yeah, I hope you don't mind but I'm borrowing some books to read in the near future," she rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, shuffling her feet under his penetrating stare. "I just thought that since you never read any books other than Icha Icha that you wouldn't notice," Jenny continued on, albeit more defensive.

Kakashi stepped around the bed and flicked her forehead causing her to cry out.

"Jenny, it's fine," he allowed the exasperation at her antics come out.

Jenny scowled, rubbing the sore spot before turning to go lie on the bed, switching off her light sullenly, making the her side of the room go into darkness.

Kakashi continued to get changed, keeping a lazy eye on her to make sure that she wouldn't try and take a peek like she almost did that morning.

Finally changed, Kakashi flopped into his bed, switching off his own lamp, sucking the room into the darkness beyond the window shaped mark that was made by the blue hued moon.

There was a stillness as neither parties in the bed moved.

"Now that you are going out with Sakura, does that mean I have to go find a new place?" Jenny asked in a small voice, her vulnerability showing through that reminded him of that morning. He didn't know what had set her off and he didn't ask. It didn't seem right at the time, but now it felt like a delayed reaction.

Kakashi shook his head until he realised that she wouldn't be able to see him. "No, you were here first. Anyway, we're taking it slow. Slow does not count night caps," Kakashi lied easily. There was no point in mentioning that a couple of night caps had already occurred in the unwashed sheets they were laying in.

No need to alarm her.

Jenny shuffled until she was facing Kakashi. "You sure?"

"Go to sleep, firefly."

He could feel her grin from his side of the bed.

"Does this mean that we are BFFLs now? Should we braid each other's hair? Share secrets? Sex tips?" Jenny harassed good naturedly, the dusk light cutting across the bed through the window so he saw a forearm tucking under her pillow as she looked at his shadowy form.

"I don't even want to know what BFFLs are," Kakashi drawled. "Although, I wouldn't mind getting your thoughts on this complicated sex position in Icha Icha," Kakashi feigned getting comfortable to start long discussions, much alike teenage girls. "Now, bear with me, it was the latest Icha Icha so I probably haven't read it through as much as I would have liked and I'm a bit confused on how to make it comfortable for the woman-"

He was cut off by a particularly violent pillow thrust in his face forcing him to roll on his back and hear a disgusted noise.

"Just go to sleep Kakashi, I'm sure you can test them out on your girlfriend," Jenny quipped as she rolled over onto her other side with a melodramatic huff.

"Now there's an idea," Kakashi retorted, still lying on his back.

But lying on his back didn't stop him from wishing he could say that she could try the position on his other friends.

Maybe that was over the line. Sounded a tad too bitter.

"Good night," Jenny whispered from the other side of the bed.

Kakashi grunted his goodnight before he moved himself onto his other side, his back facing the blue haired girl, his mind wandering before he finally fell into the calming arms of sleep.


	10. Back To Normal

Back to Normal

"**Does this mean that we are BFFLs now? Should we braid each other's hair or something? Share secrets? Sex tips?" Jenny harassed good naturedly, the dusk light cutting across so he saw a forearm tucking under her pillow as she looked at his shadowy form. **

"**I don't even want to know what BFFLs are," Kakashi drawled. "Although, I wouldn't mind getting your thoughts on this complicated sex position in Icha Icha," Kakashi feigned getting comfortable to start long discussions, much alike teenage girls. "Now, bear with me, it was the latest Icha Icha so I probably haven't read it through as much as I would have liked and I'm a bit confused on how to make it comfortable for the woman-"**

**He was cut off by a particularly violent pillow thrust in his face forcing him to roll on his back and hear a disgusted noise. **

"**Just go to sleep Kakashi, I'm sure you can test them out on your girlfriend," Jenny quipped as she rolled over onto her other side with a melodramatic huff. **

"**Now there's an idea," Kakashi retorted, still lying on his back. **

**But lying on his back didn't stop him from wishing he could say that she could try the position on his other friends. **

**Maybe that was over the line. Sounded a tad too bitter.**

"**Good night," Jenny whispered from the other side of the bed. **

**Kakashi grunted his goodnight before he moved himself onto his other side, his back facing the blue haired girl, his mind wandering before he finally fell into the calming arms of sleep.**

…o0o…

There was a clunking and a crash and my danger radar went into overdrive as I sat up quickly, my eyes scouring the room for the enemy.

But seeing a bare, muscled back that was rolling so as to get comfortable, I realised that Kakashi had already neutralised the threat. Gingerly, I leaned down to the floor from the safety of my bed and picked up the broken alarm clock between a thumb and forefinger. I turned my incredulous gaze to Kakashi.

As if he could feel my judgement, Kakashi grunted as he turned over onto his side and examined me from under a droopy eyelid, his face defensive under, what I dubbed, the sleep mask.

"It was being too loud," he said, his voice husky with sleep as he shrugged, forcing my eyes to unconsciously examine and appreciate the broad shoulders.

Rolling my eyes at his poor excuse, I focussed on what really was important and turned to the next enemy: the cold floor.

Clenching my eyes tight shut, I determined the best course of action would be doing it quickly rather than slowly. Like tearing off a plaster. I folded the duvet off my legs with trepidation, like a soldier in the D-Day landings. I knew it was going to be bad as I inched my foot closer to the floor and I felt it when my skin made contact.

Hissing a little under my breath, I quickly hopped over the floor to the blissfully carpeted hallway leading to the again cold floored bathroom.

Leaning around the door frame of the bathroom, in another attempt to avoid the floor which I would have succeeded if Kakashi hadn't been sneaking up behind me and gave my unstable body a little nudge, forcing me to allow the soles of my feet meet the white, malicious tiles.

I squealed in horror and glared over my shoulder, at the deliciously mussed hair of his which was made all the more tantalising with Kakashi's wayward hand, I sucked in a breath that I tried to blame on my annoyance at the pervert.

But with the view of his bare chest, led me to feel slightly light headed and I quickly turned my back on him, as I walked slightly more flat footed now that my soles had adjusted to the change in temperature. Switching the knob of the shower on, I crossed my hands over my hips, grabbing opposite sides of my (Kakashi's) t-shirt, and whipped it up and over my blue haired head before chucking it over my shoulder to let it land where it may.

Checking over my shoulder, I saw that Kakashi was studiously looking at himself in the mirror.

I snorted with amusement, which caught Kakashi's attention who, with the aid of the reflection of the mirror looked up my spine slowly, and I could just imagine his lips curving, but in actuality looked as blank as new piece of paper.

I wanted to roll my eyes at myself. He would never find me attractive.

With no preliminaries, I turned and pushed the elastic of my girl black briefs down over my hips until they hit the floor with no sound.

I walked into the shower, turning my face away from his so he wouldn't see the flush covering the apples of my cheeks. I held my forearm across my chest so he wouldn't catch an unwitting flash of flared flesh as stepped into the shower and waited for the water to heat in the sanctuary of a curtain between us.

Over the rattle of the water hitting the shower floor, I heard cupboards opening and closing and finally a sigh.

"What's wrong now?" I asked, lathering my hair with shampoo and rinsing in the wonderfully hot water.

"There's no bar soap," was the grumbled reply that I got and reaching over to the shower shelf, I picked up the tea tree and spearmint and reaching around the curtain, I poked my head out to look at Kakashi, rinsing his hands.

"Head's up," I said before flinging with all my might, trying to lay at least one hit on his person with the soap which, unfortunately with a smooth action from Kakashi, he caught it with precision.

No words of thanks, as Kakashi rotated back to rub the soap in between the lines of his palms and it wasn't until I met his gaze in the mirror and raised eyebrow that I remembered I still had my head sticking out of the cubicle with some remaining suds clinging desperately to my scalp.

Averting my eyes to hide the fact I was embarrassed, I ducked back into the shower and continued through the motions albeit more slowly so I didn't have to meet his penetrating watchful eyes when I stepped out later.

"Don't use all the hot water," I heard Kakashi's chastising tone just outside the curtain.

"Well, I'll make you some breakfast before I leave if you want?" I offered, ignoring his demand.

There was a huffing of an incredulous breath and I heard a mutter:

"Considering your alarm went off at an ungodly hour, I would expect so."

It didn't surprise me that he was a poor morning person considering how late he was to everything else.

"Don't need to sound so catty," I mumbled back, "is it that time of the month for you Kakashi?"

There was a thump that smacked the shower curtain, forcing it to cave slightly at the force of the throw.

Poking my head out tentatively, I looked down to the floor to see the green bar of soap that I had passed to Kakashi earlier, rocking slightly. Looking back up to the culprit I glared.

"Can't take a joke?" I asked teasingly when all I got was a grunt, I finished under my breath: "Definitely on your period."

"I heard that," Kakashi growled warningly.

Opting to say nothing at all, turning the water off while wringing my hair out, I stuck my head around the curtain to see Kakashi was still shirtless and a frothy toothbrush in one hand, the remnants slightly obvious on the edge of his mask, looking like he had a patchy stark white beard. A sign that he had hurriedly covered his face when he heard me moving around to get out.

I giggled but gestured for him to pass me one of the towels dangling on the radiator next to him. "You should put a shirt on," I advised, my eyes shrewd until I finally saw him roll his eye and go to the other radiator to retrieve a t-shirt. The other radiator that had to be cut next to the shower.

Holding the shower curtain close to my body, to keep my dignity and using the other to reach towards Kakashi who had offered the towel to me to wrap the towel around my front. I tried not to make any contact with Kakashi in the cramped space he gave me as he began to put on a shirt. I took one step from the shower-

-Right onto the bar soap that had been previously used for a missile from Kakashi.

With a squawk, my arms wind milled as I tried to keep my balance, unfortunately, one slapped Kakashi right in the face causing him to grunt and recoil a step, his arms were still tangled in the shirt around his elbows.

The step that he took was lost as I finally gave into gravity (yes you win good sir) and fell onto him, my towel that I was using, flopping lifelessly to the floor beside us with an ominous wooomf.

There was a silence.

Not our casual silence. Not our 'ha ha we can laugh off this unfortunate incidence and call it a day'. No, this was…

A painful silence.

My naked, _naked_ body was lying connected to every part of Kakashi's bared skin. And that _included_ chest.

I could feel his nipples pressing into my skin and I could only imagine how Kakashi was feeling right now. Awkward? Surprised? Aroused?

I mentally slapped myself for thinking so lewdly. He had a _girlfriend_. It wasn't like he was going to forget about her anytime soon. He was attracted to her, not me. So stop your lollygagging and get the _fuck_ off him Jennifer Webbs!

With another squeak, I cupped my chest as soon as I pushed myself off of him, frantically grabbing the towel without once looking away from Kakashi, to ascertain that he wasn't sneaking a couple of glances.

Sure, that was the reason.

In all honesty, I wanted to see what his reaction was to this occasion. Did he feel the difference too? Or was this just me reading too much into things again?

But no, I saw the slight blush of his ears that would hardly have been noticeable under his hair, but as it was, his hair had flopped to the bathroom floor actually falling with gravity for once so I could see his almost elven like ears that were going a feverish shade of red.

Kakashi's eye though, was straight on my face too, reading the emotions that surely would be scrolling through like a TV screen.

"Uh, I uh," I frantically looked everywhere other than at him, now that I knew Kakashi was reading me as hard as I was reading him, I didn't want to look at his face or any part of his nude torso.

No matter how much I wanted to run my tongue over the planes while his hand grabbed-

I really needed to get out more.

Taking a deep breath, I forced a laugh, trying to play it so awkwardly casual. "Well, I'll go start cooking, shall I?"

Kakashi didn't answer. His eye just bore into me, questioning what I was doing, pretending like I hadn't been drooling over him, while my naked body pressed against him.

But could I help it being presented with so much deliciousness?

Blushing, I quickly tried to walk to the bedroom without looking like I was running away, but failed as I began jogging through the open doorway.

I smacked myself in the forehead, multiple times. I couldn't believe myself. I was a horrible human being.

While I may not like Sakura, it still wasn't right to be acting the way I was around Kakashi.

But was it bad if Kakashi didn't show any sign of reciprocating my feelings, the past occasion not withstanding?

NO! I slapped myself again, a harder hit.

Slipping open a drawer, I rummaged through for a pair of my comfy knickers and my joggers and baggy t-shirt for the comfort. I combed my wet hair into a less tangled mess and towelled it dry just contemplating what I could make for dinner.

Maybe another stir fry? Prawn fried bread? Oooo maybe something with seafood?

"Hey Kakashi?" I called through the door where I heard him moving in the kitchen, the rush of water sounding like he was washing the crockery and the tell-tale clinks as they were set on the side to dry.

"Hmmm?"

"What would you like for dinner?" I asked, walking through the corridor turning to the left into the dimly lit kitchen in the early morning. "I'm thinking seafood?"

Kakashi turned to me, and while his face was hidden by the mask, I still saw the critical movement of his nose, signalling his distaste towards seafood.

"Are we sharks?"

I frowned.

"Sorry, what?" What kind of a question is that?

"Are we sharks?" Kakashi repeated, his head still turned towards me as he continued to clean the plate in his hand.

"No?" I answered, more unsure of the answer that should it be referred to as a question.

"Then we have no need to eat fish," he concluded with a satisfied atmosphere that I could feel the smugness radiating from his form triggering me to a level of irritation.

"Not even eels? Prawns? You are telling me no prawn fried bread?" I asked, my hands on my hips. The role of possible couple going out of the window in the need to change into the role of a mother scolding her child from avoiding eating healthy food. Not that prawn fried bread falls under that category. But still.

Kakashi waited, looked up and the ceiling and through his mask I saw his mouth open a close a couple of times.

"Prawns I can deal with," he acquiesced.

Rolling my eyes I turned to a cupboard to get out the frying pan.

"Full fry up sound good to you?" I asked, not actually caring for the answer, still slightly annoyed with his childish attitude.

"I think you are spoiling me too much. Soon I'm going to need a bento for the missions as I won't be able to eat the ration packs." Kakashi said blithely next to me where he was leaning on the adjacent counter.

"You've said that before and I'm sure you were fine," I turned my face away, allowing my hair to screen it from the pervert's gaze as I fluttered my eyes flustered.

"Put these in the toaster would you?" I said gruffly, not once looking up at his face, passing the four pieces of white bread to the lazy man. I knew once I did, the crimson would never leave my face again.

Kakashi huffed as if it was the hardest thing to do but ended up doing it anyway as he put them in with a lazy grace.

"How many rashers of bacon do you want? What about eggs? Sausages?" I asked never turning my focused gaze from pouring oil in the pan, and opening the nearby fridge to gain my supplies to be fried.

"I'm feeling…" Kakashi hmmed as he decided, stepping closer to me than what I felt necessary after the mishap that had occurred that morning as he perused the options. "Double of everything you're having."

Slowly I turned my stare to him disbelieving. "You're not serious are you?"

He gave me that familiar eye crinkle and a knot that I didn't know that I had in my stomach loosened and went away as I felt the positive energy coming from him.

He ruffled my hair, the contact sending my system into a spaz.

"Finally you look at me," he ribbed, his eye holding the amusement of a child. "Here I was thinking you were going to avoid looking at me ever again."

He tousled my hair one more time.

I batted it away, now in annoyance that barely covered up my embarrassment at having been caught out by him.

"Okay, okay, you had your fun," I groused. "Now what would you like for breakfast?"

"Two eggs, four rashers of bacon, three sausages, at least one ladle of baked beans, two hash browns and if we have it, a couple slices of black pudding, if you please," Kakashi rattled off his order to me at such a fast pace that I barely had time to register the toast popping up shockingly behind him. "Oh and two pieces of fried bread please."

I gaped at him until I heard a slightly burning smell and I quickly averted my attention from him, more worried about food than anything else. I needed to keep up my reputation of being a good cook, you know.

I smiled to myself as I thought about when I won a competition for the first time for my baked goods. How little Neil, barely four years old, had tottered after me as he came with me to examine all the different competitors.

How Susie followed me too albeit more sullen as she wasn't into the cooking side of things. Although she couldn't be blamed as she had recently come second in the art competition in the next tent over, leaving her feeling a little demoralised.

I giggled to myself just thinking of all the village festivals around the farm that used to happen.

Kakashi looked up from his book that I hadn't noticed him whip out and nudged me in the side to get my attention.

"What?" such a simple question, yet it was something I couldn't answer him. He already knew I was lying about some things but I didn't want him to think our entire friendship was just a means to an end.

"Oh!" I pretended to gasp. "I think I remembered something!"

Secretly, I cringed at the falseness of my tone and wished for my A* in Drama GCSE to finally kick in as Kakashi looked over at me dubiously, his ninja senses were probably reaching out to him to inform him that I had just indeed, lied.

At the remembrance that he was in fact a ninja, someone who was trained in the art of _lying_, I quickly turned from him to ensure that the bacon and sausages and pudding would have my full attention.

"Well? What was it?" Kakashi probed, the earlier suspicion gone as he asked, his finger mimicking his tone into my ribs.

I squirmed to get away from him, my hands never leaving their tight grip of the pan and the fish slice. "Careful!"

"Well, tell me," Kakashi whined, his elbows propped on the counter next to me as he turned, his face fitted adorably into cupped hands as he peered endearingly up at me.

I puffed some air out of my mouth, causing the hairs framing my face to fan upwards in an attempt at the Mexican wave.

"Fine! I thought I remembered when I first got into baking. I was with my family, I think, and we were walking around these tents and walking in I saw that my name was there first prize for every single one. There was a," I failed to restrain the little nostalgic smile that popped to my face at the thought of little Nathaniel. "little toddler, my brother, possibly, and he was clinging to my leg like a monkey to its mother. It was a little smokey around the edges and I thought to myself that I couldn't be…" I broke off, trying to beat down the lump in my throat.

I was going to finish with: I couldn't be happier.

Which was oh, so true. I felt the pain of the waterworks about to come on again, so I rapidly tried to remain focused on the meal again.

Could I try and be happy after Susie died? Was I allowed to move on from her death? After she gave her life to let mine be saved?

What would she even think of Kakashi?

I almost wanted to sob at her most likely sardonic tone.

"Yeah, nothing says romance like a guy in it to steal your knickers," she would give an eye roll on the mirror of my face before snorting as she turned back to the latest edition of Kerrang!

I continued to focus on the spitting oil pan.

Thankfully, Kakashi seemed to realised this was a sore spot and ignored my reaction.

"How much longer?" he asked after the comfortable silence had set in again, me watching the meat sizzle while Kakashi imagined the flare in the romance in his novel.

"'Bout five more minutes, if you want to go set the table," I ordered rather than requested.

"Yes, mother," Kakashi grumbled as he reluctantly slumped his way over to the mismatched table and chairs as he began to clean up the night before's devastation that Kakashi didn't get around to cleaning earlier.

It was strange, my reaction to the two words. One, I was happy that we could go on to joking like usual, in fact I welcomed that he called me something in the platonic sense that I could almost forget that shower indiscretion.

But on the other hand, I hated it. I mean, did I really not have that much sex appeal, other than when I am naked? I mean, really?

A touch below the belt, I would say.

Finishing everything off, I turned to bring the frying pan over to the table where I continued to serve up Kakashi's frankly worrying breakfast and delivered my smaller portion while I was there.

Placing the frying pan in the sink for later, I unseeingly, looked to the clock, and I shrieked.

I ran to the table, bolting down all my food which couldn't be healthy and I raced to the bed room to pick up my uniform that I would change into at the café.

"There are left overs in the fridge if you want anything for lunch and I'll have to do another food run soon so maybe put a list on what you want on the table. I'll do that later." I called through the kitchen doorway hurriedly as I rinsed out my mouth with water to begin to brush my teeth. Shoving my toothpaste laden brush into my mouth I began to briskly rub my teeth. "Oh can you also put your dirty laundry by the washing machine, I'll also do that later!" I shouted around my frothy mouthful. I spat into the sink, brushing the foam from the corners of my mouth hurriedly, I turned to my makeup bag to apply the bare minimum.

"What was that?" the voice right in the bathroom doorway asked, causing me to jump and my eyeliner to squiggle down my face.

"Jesus Kakashi!" I scolded, picking up a makeup wipe to clean the black monstrosity from my face with a growl. "All I said was put your dirty laundry by the washing machine and I'll do it later!"

When the normal steady hand kept dodging the eye lid in my rush, I threw it down in impatience, into my bag as I turned to just adding it when I had the first batches of confectionary going.

"Who's Jesus?"

"Fuck it," I groaned as I pushed passed the unmoving grey haired man, turning left to go to the door where my trainers were. It was going to be another late day.

Shoving my feet in with all the grace of a sloth, I held onto the door behind me for support as I tried to rush further. I was almost out of the door before I realised I still needed my keys _and_ my uniform!

I gave a muffled screech of frustration and was about to run back when there were two hands sticking out, one with my uniform, the other with my key.

Giving a grateful smile to the much abused pervert, I leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek as I rushed out.

Not even seeing the stunned look as Kakashi brought a hand up to his cheek.

…o0o…

Why would she do that? Kakashi thought to himself as he saw the door shut in his face in the early morning light.

What was her ulterior motive? Was there even one? Kakashi mused as he turned back to the kitchen to eat in peace, tugging his sleep mask off.

He breathed a sigh of relief. It was nice, once in a while to get the fabric off his face.

If people weren't so inquisitive about it, he wouldn't wear one at all. In fact, the whole wearing the mask thing was more of a matter of principle. If that nameless face when he was younger hadn't challenged him that he couldn't keep the mask on all the time, well… the entirety of Konoha would know what he looked like.

While that shinobi had probably been and gone by this point, it was another form of remembrance to him since he didn't know his name and couldn't run his finger over his name on the memorial stone.

Sliding into his chair and picking up his knife and fork again, he began to eat his meal, albeit in a slower pace than his roommate, he thought with a chuckle. But then another foe came through.

There was a quiet, Kakashi noticed.

When he lived alone, he didn't have this problem. When he was alone, his flat was his sanctuary away from people unless he decided to entertain guests of the sexual sort. Where the peace was what he craved, was what he needed after a mission filled with adrenaline and screams of pain and horror.

It was silent and that was what bothered him.

He wouldn't change jobs for the world, for he knew that if he didn't do it, someone else would. One with families left to grieve. Mothers and fathers; brothers and sisters; children and lovers. Wasted.

All mourning the loss of a life that had much more left to give if he had stayed in the family bakers, if she had decided to continue to work in the café, none of this would have happened.

Now though, Kakashi had actually someone to have at his sanctuary like a monk maintaining the temple. But he couldn't decide if it was a welcome addition or not. It wasn't like he disliked Jenny's company, on the contrary, he found her delightful, with her cooking and her perverted side especially.

But he just didn't expect the woman he would be coming home to was a woman of questionable alibies and not his girlfriend at that point in time. Greeted with peacock plume hair rather than candy floss.

A complete contradiction.

Finishing the meal with a smack of his lips, Kakashi pondered at the ceiling.

He should have probably gone to see Sakura last night to say he was back from the mission, but it slipped his mind as soon as he was greeted by the blue whirlwind that was Jenny. Everything to do with the pink haired kunoichi completely slipped his mind as he was overwhelmed with Jenny's exuberance. Eating the mouth-watering food created by passion, by everything his roommate could offer.

He supposed that he could go find Sakura later, because for now, there was an empty bed that had his name on it. Literally.

He didn't want people stealing the bed sheets.

…o0o…

Even when I was extremely late to work, I still managed to get the first batch done and then some _and_ get my make-up performed to its usual standards. It was a lot of multi-tasking, but I believed I achieved the best.

In fact, Ino was so happy with the quality of the baked goods that she allowed me to go onto the floor to serve the customers, however I was still limited to working as a barista.

The crunch and grind of coffee beans and their aroma… _heavenly_. The diffusion of my baked goods sent the men who occupied the room drooling, their eyes hungrily tracing the forms of Ino and I, itching to see which of us would bring out the next tray of confectionary.

When they finally figured out that I was the one that baked the tastiness…that was when the compliments and dates started to arrive.

The first time I coquettishly batted my eye lashes and promised the vague idea that I would go out with him if he bought some more of the display or pull in more customers. He then proceeded to buy two cakes and half of the batch of cookies as he darted out the door, laden with his sales.

I saw him convincing women (I noticed) and tried to turn the men away until the other males determinedly tried to get a taste of the food and when he didn't, they stormed in and halted in the door when they saw Ino and I, in our scandalous maid outfits greeting them with a sickening sweet "Welcome, master."

I never saw so much money being made.

But all that was said and done, that day I wanted Kakashi to come in, with an appreciative sniff and perch himself on the stool in front of the counter.

"What does a man have to do to get some food here?" that dark chocolate voice asked innocently behind me.

Startled, I almost spilt hot coffee on my arm. Thinking that my hallucination had become real, I turned around, fearing that it was true, instead, I saw him slouched in the chair, his book in the air in front of his face.

"What have I told you about sneaking up on people?" I scolded, dabbing at the coffee which had managed to get on the skin of my chest, which let me tell you, hurt like a bitch.

He gave me an eye crinkle as a response. "You have never criticised me on any such matter."

I rolled my eyes and told him to wait a second as I served the customers behind him.

Bringing a tray of coffee and confectionary I turned to the table of salivating men.

"One ginseng and lemon, two earl greys, one peppermint and who here is guilty of the latte in this weather?" I asked teasingly and the shy guy hiding in possibly the only dark corner of the brightly lit café, held up his hand half-heartedly while his friends jeered good naturedly.

I beamed as I looked him over. Obviously was around my age, but I could deal with that minor setback in terms of him not being older than me.

Rocking the shy and silent type, black flopping hair and square glasses, a white shirt and black tie in a loosened knot around his neck, suggested he had recently come back from work, maybe was taking a break?

The fact that the latte was a coffee meant late nights. No one wanted coffee in the midday sun. Likewise, I deduced this because his coffee was in a to-go cup. Probably had to leave to get some work done.

Placing the drink in front of him, I nervously tucked a non-existent strand of hair behind my ear and pretended to look shyly up at him.

Seeing what he thought was nervousness, the man was reassured and gave me a smile with a small 'thank you'.

"If any of you need anything else just call me over," I pretended to have to force a smile because of how nervous I was.

I also made sure I made eye contact with the shy man and linger my gaze a mite of a second too long before turning and walking away to Kakashi again.

Grabbing a rag from the drawer under the coffee machine, I began to wipe down the surface that was cluttered with stray tea leaves.

"So what was that about?" I heard Kakashi ask behind me.

I looked over my shoulder and gave him an innocent look.

"But whatever do you mean?" I asked, pouting, trying to look as adorable as possible.

Kakashi just gave me a look over the lip of his orange porn book that had no need for words as the message was clear: _don't-pretend-that-we-both-know-that-you-just-pretended-to-be-shy-to-get-with-that-guy-over-there-who-just-ordered-the-latte_.

It was that kind of look.

He had very, very detailed looks.

I huffed as I rolled my eyes. "Come on Kakashi, it's not like-"

"THERE YOU ARE!" a girlish screech came from the door.

I looked over his shoulder and blanched as I realised who it was.

"YOU HAVE BEEN BACK AN ENTIRE DAY AND YOU DIDN'T COME AND SEE ME?!"

I winced and there were a couple of oooo's from the audience and giving a look at Kakashi, I quickly ducked into the kitchen.

"YET YOU COME AND SEE _HER_?"

I grabbed the nearest clean bowl as I began to make a cheese cake for the next day, trying to ignore the loud voice of Sakura in the other room. I could barely discern the answer from Kakashi which was little more than a couple of mumbles.

"I DON'T CARE IF-MMMFHHG!" Sakura's shrieking voice was suddenly cut off and from the crowd that was probably watching, I heard 'awwhhhh'.

Curious, I stepped out from my haven and halted at the scene.

There Kakashi was, in the middle of the room, his hands cupping Sakura's face as he lay a big cloth covered kiss on her mouth.

My mouth dropped open.

Kakashi? Giving PDA? Holy shit!

That shit just. Doesn't. Happen.

If he was going to tell me some bullshit story later on how it was the only way out of the situation, I was going to throw something.

The violent emotion got caught in my throat and I clasped it in confusion.

I wasn't exactly happy with this development, yet I wasn't exactly _angry_ either. It was really weird.

As they left the shop, no word of goodbye from either of them, I stood there dumbly before I turned myself to try and regain my calmness in the kitchen.

…o0o…

I yawned as I finally fell through the door of the flat, lugging my uniform and my bag in with me.

I don't know why I expected it but to find that the pervert wasn't waiting for me like I thought was disheartening as I finally plopped down on the broken sofa.

"Kakashi?" I called, just to make sure that I couldn't hear his normal shufflings around the flat. But then again, I thought, he _is_ a ninja, so I probably wouldn't hear him, especially if he didn't want me to.

Heeling off my trainers, I massaged the balls of my feet where my mind wandered to another time Kakashi did this for me. I sighed.

This was just pitiful.

I resolved myself to do something useful by the time Kakashi came home, I heaved myself back up to go to the washing machine where, surprisingly, Kakashi had bundled up all his dirty laundry and what I assume, attempted to put them in whites and colours.

'Attempted' being the operative word.

Chuckling to myself, I began to re-sort the pile and after that was done, I then brought my pile of clothes in.

Seeing the differences in sizes, I felt the now familiar anger at Sakura coming fresh to my mind, seeing that none of my clothes were as nice as the first lot I had bought.

Although I couldn't hold to this grudge for long, it appeared this was one of my records for ever being angry at someone.

I rubbed my forehead tiredly.

All I wanted to do right then was go to bed and sleep but I still needed to make Kakashi some kind of dinner for later, something he can reheat. That was if I could be bothered.

After finishing loading the washing machine, I pushed my legs under me as I staggered to the kitchen where I saw all the washing up had been done and then a paper filled with all the food I needed to buy.

Looking at it, my mouth tightened in distaste. Clearly Kakashi wasn't thinking straight enough to actually have me make anything nice.

Resolving myself to making a sandwich for dinner, knowing all the while I was too lazy but I made Kakashi one too to try and rectify the situation. The tomato chutney, cheese and lettuce kind of sandwich on soft white bread.

Mmmm, just thinking about it was giving me food envy. So with the speed of being a baker at Ino's cosplay café, I sliced, diced and lay out my ingredients until finally I had made my dinner and wrapped Kakashi's in cling film to be placed in his almost empty fridge.

Going into the living room and avoiding the different paraphernalia of being both a ninja and a reader, I placed my plate on the low table as I went to my bag by the door for my book that Kakashi had recently lent me and settled down to wait for when Kakashi finally came home.

…o0o…

Kakashi lifted Sakura's shirt in a frenzy to get closer to her skin and finally when her breasts popped free, he lowered his head and began to suckle. Running his tongue over and under her nipples being sure to give promising bites every now and then, causing Sakura to gasp and haul his head closer to her heaving cleavage.

Sliding the hands that were resting innocently on her hips, Kakashi allowed one to slide up next to where his head was residing while the other reached down to Sakura's thigh where he hoisted it suddenly high on his hip, resulting in Sakura and him to lose balance.

Right on to Sakura's bed.

Kakashi groaned, when he felt the soft breasts jiggle in his face and couldn't hold back the need to bury himself in the soft bed that was Sakura's chest.

Sakura whined and lifted her pelvis in a not so subtle plea, which was also aided in Sakura's hands sliding up and under his shirt, reaching for his chest pectorals.

Kakashi held in the gasp that was threatening in the back of his throat and felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

When did this happen?

His left hand that had been roughly massaging Sakura's breast started to slow, even triggering Sakura to writhe even more.

The wriggles then sparked a sense of knowing from the grey haired man. It was almost like Jenny that very morning where she fell straight on top of him, her chest had given him a tinsy feel of what they'd be like on his face.

Other than her chest being marred by the star shape scar just above her right breast, the skin of her breasts were flawless as was shown that very morning.

Kakashi shook his head to remove the image, unconsciously motor boating Sakura's chest causing her to giggle in delight.

He needed to stop thinking about Jenny whenever he was having sex with Sakura. It was just plain rude.

But what would Jenny do if he…?

Sakura wriggled again as Kakashi moved down to lap in her belly button. He expected Jenny would arch into his mouth, hooking her legs over his shoulders in a desperation for his touch...

Kakashi gave himself a mental slap. Stop thinking about Jenny!

"Kakashi?" Sakura asked hesitantly, soft hands cradled his face.

His head snapped up, looking at her inquisitively.

Her face was flushed from their foreplay and her chest was heaving from exertion.

"You, okay?" she asked.

Kakashi cocked his head to the side inquisitively.

"You kind of just… stopped is all," Sakura finished lamely.

With a start, Kakashi realised that he _had_ stopped in his attempt to shake the blue haired girl out of his head, he determinedly met the green eyed stare with his own and resolved to not think about the person-who-shall-not-be-named for a blissful, orgasmic filled half an hour.

…o0o…

It was late.

I knew it was late.

Hell, even the clock was telling me it was late, its red numbers blaring out at me accusingly, telling me to go to bed, I had work in four hours.

One eye was on the door, the other barely reading the page in front of me, just waiting for the handle of the front door to pull down in a sneer as it would let its resident in.

But blearily I stayed up past eleven.

Twelve.

One.

But the last thing I remembered was my head falling tiredly on the sofa's cushion, despite the hole in the body and wishing that he would just come through that door, an eye crinkle on his masked face.

…o0o…

About third of the way through!


	11. Take That!

Take That!

**One eye was on the door, the other barely reading the page in front of me, just waiting for the handle of the front door to pull down in a sneer as it would let its resident in. **

**But blearily I stayed up past eleven. **

**Twelve. **

**One. **

**But the last thing I remembered was my head falling tiredly on the sofa's cushion, despite the hole in the body and wishing that he would just come through that door, an eye crinkle on his masked face.**

…o0o…

When I felt a hand on my shoulder shaking my body awake, the first thought was centred around the excruciating pain in my neck where I was informed that I had trapped a nerve.

"Fuckity fuck fuck," I groaned, as I slowly sat up, trying not to jostle it too much, massaging the point with my fingers, to try and relieve the tension, as I looked crustily to whatever had woken me up.

There in front of me, was the dickhead I had waited for the entirety of last night.

I scowled and got up and moved towards the kitchen to get a cup of tea to wake me up; I probably had work in an hour.

Rattling around different jars, I lazily tried to find the tea bags with tired, flopping hands until a gloved one beat me to the final jar and passed it to me. I took it sullenly, refusing to talk until he did. I could not _believe_ him.

Placing it in a mug, my hand struggled to reach for the handle of the cupboard that only had been recently closed but again was saved the effort from the same big, black clad hand who gently took the jar out of my hand to put it back in its respective space.

I turned my face away, not saying anything, determined to focus on anything other than Kakashi while I waited for the kettle to boil.

A minute passed. Two.

And the kettle wasn't making its usual sounds and I looked at the button to turn it on. It was on.

Then I looked in dread to the one on the socket.

It was off.

With a huff of frustration I flipped the switch, then after a couple of seconds the kettle began to awaken.

Satisfied, I pivoted to the fridge to peruse the contents, perfectly happy with ignoring Kakashi. Finding the sandwich still resting out on its plate, lonely in its segregation from the uncooked ingredients, making it obvious who it was intended for.

Instead, peeling off the cling film, I began to dig in to my breakfast, never once looking at Kakashi.

I heard the switch flip as the kettle signalled it was finished and I pushed my jelly legs under me as I forced myself to brush right past the black eyed gaze in front of me, and pour the boiling water into the mug, not once offering the man beside me a cup of tea either.

"Obviously since you are mad at me for some unknown reason, I think it would be best to offer you a peace offering. You are late for work," Kakashi said casually, as it heeled his shoes off, exposing his toes to the cold tile.

With horror, my head snapped to the clock, making me wince at the trapped nerve in my neck and with a shriek I realised he was right.

Abandoning half of the remaining sandwich, I almost opened my mouth to say that there were ingredients to make the same sandwich again, but I decided that I was still angry with him.

Although, when I thought about it, what did _I_ have to be angry about? I wasn't his mother.

So why did I care?

He had left a note the other time, so why not this time?

But instead of explaining myself I just sprinted out of the house with my bag and uniform slung over my shoulder and ran all the way to the shop where I stormed in much to the surprise of Ino whose head just snapped up in surprise.

"Sorry… I'm… late," I gasped, clutching my heaving ribs where a stich was residing, using the wall beside me to support my body.

Ino looked up, startled, a rabbit in the headlights.

"Oh, didn't I tell you? You didn't have to be at work today, this was your day off," Ino replied cheerfully, before turning back to what she was doing before I had barged in.

It never really occurred to me that I would get break days because I was so focussed on not noticing the absence in the flat, but this…

This was abhorrent in the fact she didn't tell me!

"So why did you not tell me when my break days were?!" I demanded, outraged that I would've been cheated out of my relaxation days.

Ino just _shrugged_.

"You never asked," Ino said casually, going to walk into the back room, but I darted in front of her, to demand extra attention.

"Well, I'm asking now!" I threw my hands into the air, my head falling back in exasperation.

"You have Mondays and Fridays off," Ino replied, bored.

Her elbow was perched on the coffee counter as she rested her chin on her palm, looking at me like _I_ was the one being unreasonable.

"So who bakes for you then?" I asked, my hands on my hips, determined to get the full picture before I make any rash decisions such as punching my boss in the face for not telling me the important things.

"Kin," Ino continued, her eyes began to peruse her cuticles with a critical eye.

Suddenly, I slammed my hands onto the counter in front of Ino, forcing her to pay attention to me, despite I didn't get a reaction from her.

"So you are telling me, I didn't need to wake up at _five fucking thirty every single morning_ because you already had a baker who works for you," I asked coolly, but was very sure that my anger came through the neutral pitch. "But when you asked for my help, you didn't _for one second_ think to call _Kin?!_"

Ino's cheek looked smushed where she rested it, disinterested, on her fist.

"She's a sweet old lady, why would I put her through the stress?"

I smacked both of my hands into my face, losing the will to live.

I had just run myself into the ground thinking that she wouldn't be able to survive without me, but in actual fact she already had someone else on her pay roll.

Then it hit me.

"Wait, I have been working my day offs, so why didn't I see Kin?" I questioned suspiciously, stalking around the counter where Ino began to back up slowly.

"Well, I thought since you were such a hard worker, you wouldn't mind covering her shifts since you seemed to _love_ baking," Ino replied slowly, just as slowly as she was realising my murderous intent towards her.

"But wasn't it convenient that you didn't tell me that there was another worker when you came so _desperately_ to my flat to scout out my help and left me to work thirteen hour days with only an hour break in between shifts?" I pretended to think about it. "It seems like you pay this 'Kin' more than me because she is wise enough not to get swindled by you and so you thought to take advantage of the almost free labour." I finished with a low snarl. "Now I think, before I contact my union which will be someone in this fucking town, you better raise my pay and give me one extra freaking hour of lunch break and maybe, just maybe, I'll continue baking for you."

Ino folded her arms over her ample breasts with a smirk.

"What makes you think I'll agree? There are plenty of people looking for work and you're not the only baker out there," Ino said with a shit eating grin.

My mouth mimicking Ino's I adopted the same stance.

"Who are you trying to fool? You said so yourself ages ago, no one is looking for work with the wages you're paying and again _you_ were the one who begged _me_ to come back because my baking was the one that brought the most customers that you have had in a while." I finished smugly.

Ino bristled at the challenge.

"I'll just offer more wages," she stuck her nose in the air.

"Why pay more for someone with less baking talent than I have rather than pay me the exact same and get the same quality that you are paying for? The last bitch, you were paying her what she was making you, and that was shit food." I flipped a blue ponytail behind my shoulder. "Now will you stop being stubborn and give me a _decent_ pay and _decent_ working hours so that I can give you free labour today as a sign of willingness to deal with this," I gestured to all of her body.

There was a tense moment of quiet as we both eyed the other up and down.

Finally, Ino rolled her eyes but nodded before turning to treat the customers I had so rudely stolen her from.

It wasn't really a bad that Ino lied about everything, I just wanted to get some anger out. The passive aggressiveness I was giving Kakashi wasn't worth it. I was never good at the silent treatment.

Going into the kitchen I saw an Asian woman at least in her sixties, kneading some dough.

Going behind the screen in the corner that Ino had added for me so I didn't need to have a key to her apartment above the shop, I stripped to change into my uniform.

"Hi, I'm Jenny," I called over the thin paper screen.

There was a whisp as the flour was propelled across the table and a slight thump as Kin began to knead the dough again. I frowned as I continued to listen for an answer and finding none, I craned my head around the edge of the paper to look at the back of the woman who appeared not to notice me.

Ducking back into safety behind the screen, I finished my look with the little lacey hat and shoved my feet into the impossibly high heels, accidently tagging the heels. I held onto the wall for support with an annoyed grunt. Could this day get any worse?

I knew not to tempt fate again, but it seemed like I couldn't help myself.

It wasn't like the bad luck hit me straight out this time.

I managed to get around the screen and potter over to the table where I took one of the bowls to begin making everything when Kin introduced herself, albeit more loudly than I needed.

After what felt like hours, I waddled out onto the floor with my ear ringing from the abuse that had just been hurled at me. It was only later that Ino told me that Kin was slightly deaf and that was probably why she didn't hear me earlier.

But like I said, the luck didn't hit me wrong until I had a table on my side of the room that I needed to attend. Shifting the top down and inching the skirt up never hurt anyone. It was cold and clinical that I was thinking this way, but it was the way I could get more tips. Tips meant more money.

And those tips were needed. I wanted out of that flat.

I knew I was being rash but I didn't care.

Kakashi didn't care.

Tightening my blue ponytails (something I still had yet to get used to), I clicked my way over to the table in direct line of sight at the counter and I saw a snowy white head of hair, of the same gravity defying calibre as a certain pervert, resting on a set of broad shoulders. Staring at me.

This intense stare had me going slightly weak kneed relaxing me, forcing me to be unprepared for any sign of attack in the slouched form of the person who had his back to me, with grey hair.

A stealth attack in the form of hiding in plain sight.

Rounding around the individual, I almost halted in my steps and was half way through pivoting to turn around and go back into the kitchen to avoid _him_.

Sigh, but alas, it was not to be so as the slouched man looked up from his book at peered over the shoulder of the white haired man and arched an eyebrow. Another challenge.

One I would not back down from.

Plastering a smile onto my face, I turned to the man who had now had a little seductive smirk on his face. Or it could be classed as leering, but instead, I turned into recovery mode. I pretended to reciprocate.

Turning my face away, as if embarrassed, I curled a finger around one of my pony tails, bringing his gaze to focus on my hand which then followed up my bare arms. I waited with baited breath to see the disgust or judgement that I had seen on some of the customers that frequent the café.

Many believe that if the women work in cosplay, they have to be pretty but this is severely not the case when you looked at me, and that disappointment was tangible especially when they ask for the 'hot one' to come and serve them. But usually after this rudeness, even Ino sends them out.

She has standards.

Clearing my throat, I made a show of getting my pen out of my apron as I flipped to a clean bit of my notebook.

"What can I help you with today?" I asked with a smile, giving Kakashi a slight sight of the back of my shoulder, showing my frigity to his presence.

The white haired man, gave me a slow perusal that actually had _me_ blushing, what with his lengthy pause at my neck and between my legs rather than the usual places such as the breasts and the garter straps.

"How about an in depth tour of your body?"

Well.

That was direct.

I blinked surprised and a little bit confused.

Was that some weird come on?

The furrow in my brow told the white haired man and he held out his hand.

"I'm Jiraiya, you probably have heard of me, but I am a novelist and would like to base you as the character in my next book," he said with a smirk as his eyes took in my form again.

I felt more than saw Kakashi giving me a signal behind me but I ignored him focusing more on my interest on Jiraiya's work.

"Oh? Is it anything I have read? I'm sorry, I have only just come to town so I'm not well versed in all the literature here yet," I said playfully, switching my weight from one leg to the other to show another angle of my hip.

"Jenny, you don't want to be a character in his books," his voice said behind me, nonchalantly.

I turned my cold eyes to face Kakashi's surprisingly blank eye. What had he to be annoyed about?

"It isn't your call Kakashi," I said frostily but thawed when I turned back to the other occupant of the table who looked intrigued with the hardened social dynamics in front of him. "So what time do you want to arrange a meeting? Tonight after work?"

Jiraiya raised his eyebrows but left the elephant in the room where it stood. "Tonight sounds good, maybe we can talk over dinner too?" his sparkly white teeth would have made my granddad go crazy with excitement. He was a dentist.

Ignoring the almost negative energy emanating from the person behind me, I beamed at the bleach haired man with red tear tracks running down his face and got a spare piece of paper and wrote my address down for him and a time.

"Pick me up here and we'll see if we are hungry then," the innuendo was soft but from the alighting in the man's eyes, he had a dirty mind and knew what I was suggesting.

"Maybe you will be hungry and I will especially after this _hard_ meeting," he said with a smirk, lounging back, his top tightening over what I believed to be a body builders wet dream of a chest, made by the dents that the t-shirt clung to desperately.

"Maybe I need to _release_ you after this trying time," I responded, pretending to be writing something down on my pad of paper, innocent.

"Or you could get me a green tea and him a ginseng and lemon," Kakashi interrupted, his eye glinting up at me, just as imposing as his very presence.

With a glare, I stalked off to prepare their order.

…o0o…

As soon as Jenny left, Jiraiya pounced.

"I know you to be a smooth talker with the ladies so what could the great Kakashi do to make that woman so mad?" Jiraiya teased as he perched his chin on his fist, his face alight with humour.

Kakashi just gave him a withering stare before opening his orange book with an obvious flourish and pretended to continue reading. But this proved to tell Jiraiya more than if Kakashi had defended himself.

"Ahhh, you don't know what you've done," his mentor in all things perverted said knowingly.

Kakashi now glared at the older man over his book, showing his unwillingness to talk with him about this.

"I know what _you_ have done," Kakashi gave up any pretence of reading his book in favour of staring Jiraiya straight in the eye, leaning forward as he continued. "You have just flirted with my roommate and are planning putting her in your book as one of the bangable characters in between _then_ having sex with her." Kakashi slouched back in his seat as if this didn't bother him.

But it did.

Kakashi just wanted to run his hand down his face in exhaustion but knew that would be a sign of weakness and a sign of caring, which he didn't want to do.

And while Kakashi didn't know _definitely_ what he had done, he had a theory.

But he wasn't going to tell Jiraiya that.

"Ahhh, are you jealous my young grasshopper?"

Kakashi restrained the need to hit the other man over the head. Multiple times. With his chair. Then when that broke, the table.

"I have Sakura; I have no need to be jealous," Kakashi said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Yes you do have Sakura, but let me guess, the real thing isn't as good as what you imagined it to be?" Jiraiya continued with, what Kakashi thought was, an infuriatingly knowing voice.

The brief show of surprise came through his face but before he could hide it, the white haired man caught on to it like a Jack Russell with a toy. He would not let go.

"I'm right? Well, of course I am. I am well versed in the language with love and how what seems to be the promise of a beautiful day withers behind the dark grey clouds that you couldn't see at the horizon."

"How poetic," Kakashi responded dryly and was about to say something else when Jenny came back with their tray and lay out their orders wordlessly.

However, she did reserve a smile for Jiraiya but then turned coldly back to her work.

Both men waited until the woman had left before continuing.

"But you know I'm right," Jiraiya pointed out, "you went into the relationship with Sakura with high expectations, yet she is showing you wrong and now you are left feeling disappointed."

"No, _you're_ wrong," Kakashi disputed, refusing to believe this ridiculous hypothesis, while a little part of him was being related to with Jiraiya's truthful words. "I'm not disappointed, Sakura is everything I thought. It's just that she needs a little time."

Jiraiya raised a dubious brow. "Am I? Kakashi, believe me. I know what it is to pine after a med-nin. Hell, most of the village knows. But I can understand your reluctance to let go." Jiraiya leans back in his chair with a sigh after taking a sip from his cup. "They are usually cold, detached and even when they smile, you can see they aren't showing you the whole picture. But then the worst thing that can possibly happen, happens: they show you a smile in private that they aren't holding back, that they aren't subduing.

So then you start to go down the rabbit hole. They go back to normal and you try to convince yourself that it didn't mean anything that they showed you that smile and only you. But then they do it again. And you fall even faster.

To be a med-nin, they have to be passionate about their work but this applies to everything around them where they do it in relationships and other tasks too. But here's the rub:

They can only love one full heartedly. There has to be a sacrifice.

And nine times out of ten, the sacrifice usually is the chump that falls in love with them in the first place."

Kakashi was silent the entire time that Jiraiya was lost down memory lane, a saddened look replacing the jovial crinkle that usually was there, even when he was solemn, just trying to cheer the other up.

They sat there in silence for the remaining of their tea drinking, each lost in his own thoughts.

Kakashi sat there, wondering, maybe it worked the other way too.

When the bloke is going to be sacrificed, maybe they know and still cling desperately to the executioner. But they also cling to the noose when they are swung. The noose being the proverbial of the dream relationship that they think of inside their head.

And Kakashi thought he found his noose.

It was just a matter of when it was going to tighten around his neck.

…o0o…

_Martin dodged as Neil dived forwards to follow through with his punch, stumbling. Taking advantage, Martin slammed his glove into his opponent's ribs, who gave out a grunt of pain as he spun around, bouncing on the balls of his feet. _

"_What the fuck is wrong, Neil? You have been-" Martin grunted as he ducked and smacked his fist into an uppercut, just above Neil's belly button, "-distracted lately." _

_Although, Neil probably could have said pot calling kettle since Martin hadn't been in the right mind either._

_Dodging another set of pitiful punches, Martin straightened up signalling the end of the fight, already beginning to unwrap the glove from his sweaty hand. _

"_You can't compete like this; tell me what's wrong," he went over to the corner of the ring and retrieved the two water bottles and walked over to where Neil was slumped against the ropes, his chest heaving, sweat dotting his brow in the July heat. _

"_It's nothing," Neil said, his smile so fake that it made a manikin jealous. _

"_Neil," he laid a hand on the younger man's shoulder, gain his attention before whispering softly, "tell me what's wrong. Please." _

_Then all of a sudden, Neil was a sobbing mess. _

_Martin could see his hands shaking as he reached up to cover his face with his hands. "I can't do it, I can't do it!" _

_Martin was confused. What had had he done?_

_Neil had never become so hysterical over an upcoming match before. This admittedly was one of the more important matches he would ever part take in, but Neil always gave off a mood of calm when he trained, knowing what needed to be done and what to avoid. _

_But this, Martin didn't know how to deal with this._

_Where one moment he was crying, Martin missed the change where Neil seemed to fly into a fit of rage as he flung his water bottle with the power of a knockout punch at the wall on the other side of the room, forcing the lid of the bottle to separate and spill the water out and leak onto the cheap concrete floor. _

_The sounds of the boxing gym slowed down apart from the people with their music pounding into their ears, however even they slackened when they saw what was happening on the centre stage. _

_Martin just almost gaped at Neil. The ever happy Neil. The Neil without a care in the world. Crying, raging, cussing up a storm._

"_Neil-" Martin tried to place a hand on the raging male but barely had dodged with the skills of the Army before Neil had tried swiping at him with a fist. _

"_Fuck off," he snarled, "this isn't even fucking important. Not anymore." _

_With that he shoved Martin out of the way, storming under the elastic rope and hurling his gym bag over his shoulder and slamming out of the door. Everyone's eyes following him out but Martin's. _

_What just happened?_

…o0o…

He was still standing there. Watching me. Silent. Like me.

I tied my hair up into its customary two ponytails. Sure, it was juvenile that I was keeping up the habit, but I thought I looked adorable. I love that. Adorable. A claiming of innocence.

But I kept messing up the ties. My hands were shaky. And I couldn't understand why.

Well, maybe it was the fact that he wasn't fucking blinking, I swear.

Trying to ignore someone with such obvious presence is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. So painfully hard.

Finally, after getting that sorted, I looked to the bathroom clock and saw that it was ten to. I had about five minutes if Jiraiya was over eager which I seriously believed he was. Just the thought of him sent extra trembles to my hands.

And not in a good way.

It wasn't that I didn't find him attractive. That wasn't it.

It was like I felt… guilty and I didn't know why. I had nothing to feel guilty about.

I uncapped my lipstick and began to apply. Bottom, left to right, lift, top, right to left. Check the corners, check the teeth and check the smile. All good.

"There is a theory I want to run through someone," my smiled winked out as I pretended I couldn't hear him. "Someone who won't talk back to me, do you mind if I use you?"

I took my mascara and began to re lengthen the lashes with long, sure strokes.

"Well, I'll take that as a yes," Kakashi pushed himself off the door jamb and walked towards me, now resting against the counter next to me. "So I was just thinking about our situation. Now, I know you are mad at me-"

I wanted to snort but that would be a sign that I was paying attention to him. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

"-but there are a number of reasons why but I have yet to define it." Kakashi turned around and bopped my hip with his forcing me to stumble to the right so Kakashi was standing in front of the sink and running the water as he peeled off his gloves.

I glared at him before continuing to ensure my makeup was perfect.

"But I'm thinking it was because you waited up for me, made me dinner like usual. And I know how you are, with your food. It's an art."

Kakashi picked up the bar of soap that was lying in its non-slip dish and started to lather.

"But art is only art if it is appreciated and you are annoyed with me over the fact that I wasn't home to be there to eat the food you made, delicious by the way, some of the sandwich you left behind for me," Kakashi cut me a side glance as he said the aside. "Am I right?" Kakashi finished with a peculiar face.

That was what finally got me.

"I'm not angry about that you jackass," I snarled, pushing Kakashi out of the way so I could continue to brush the other eye lid's lashes.

"I thought as much," Kakashi replied, his hands building up a rhythm as they built up the soap. "So _are_ you going to tell me what I did, or destroy our small friendship over something I don't even know about?"

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck before replacing the wand back into its inky grave. He seemed to know how to make me feel like such a child and it was like that my anger diffused into the air around and left through the cracked window.

"You know what happened on the," I swallowed the lump from my throat futilely, "mission, really damaged me. You should know the entire week that you were away," I turned my eyes to meet his. "I couldn't sleep without the thought that _he_ would come back, that you weren't there to protect me." I tilted my head back to try and hold the tears in and it worked to alleviate the pressure in my gorge reflex.

There was the sound of hands being run under water and the rough whisping of fabric then a mostly dry hand, cupping my face, soothing.

"I had to find myself distractions or work myself so hard that I would be exhausted enough to go to sleep."

I thought of Iruka, but I wasn't sure if Kakashi knew about that excursion but I didn't want him to be angry in any case. Not that he would get angry about me sleeping with someone else since he didn't have a claim to me, like I had no claim to him, making the actions of that day all the more shameful.

"Just the _thought_ of no one staying so I didn't disappear was frightening and so when you came back, I, for some unknown reason, believed you would _at least_ leave a note, just to reassure me because I was so sure that you wouldn't _leave_ me without telling me like last time-"

I cut off when I felt the pressure against my cheek increase before finally allowing my face to slump into Kakashi's hand.

"I don't want to have to worry like that again. I wasn't sure if you had left me for sure or not," I whispered brokenly, finally opening my eyes to see Kakashi's partially apologetic one. "I shouldn't blame you and I'm sorry that I irrationally did. And I don't even care that you were out with Sakura, but just please, next time. _Leave. A. Note_."

Kakashi nodded and I gave a watery smile that was on the verge of falling when there was a bumping of a fist against the thin front door in the other room. I stepped back quickly, realising how close we were and my cheeks gained some colour that wasn't from my cheap blusher.

"Could you tell him I'll be there in a second?" I asked Kakashi, refusing to look him as I fluffed up my blue hued locks and adjusting the top of my dress. "I just need a minute."

I didn't hear him leave but I saw his retreating from my peripheral and when I heard the deep voice of Jiraiya in the other room, I couldn't help but feel the relief of an almost chaperone.

I covered my face in embarrassment.

I can't _believe_ myself!

_Leave a note?_ What am I? His fucking mother? His girlfriend? And what was all that shit on feeling alone? _You don't need to bloody guilt trip the poor guy Jenny!_

I huffed, shaking my head, feeling the swaying of the tails on my head. What am I going to do with myself?

Nothing, for the moment as I did one last check, making sure the slight watering of my eyes didn't smudge the blackness to go under my eyes. I boosted my breasts one last time in the dark red silky halter dress.

It was already sweltering; I couldn't physically bring myself to wear anything thicker.

With a spray of my mango-y perfume, I walked out to meet my date.

I was greeted with a perusal and a cheeky leer that I appreciated in spite of myself. While Kakashi seemed to basically oblivious to my sexual appeal, it reassured me that I was still attractive to at least _some_ of the male population. But then Jiraiya could have been humouring me. I mean the scars on my arms weren't going to go away.

They were horrendous.

As we walked down the stairs outside the flat, I embarrassingly fell onto Jiraiya forcing him to catch me, his hand lingering a little low for my liking.

While I liked a good bit of eye appreciation, I didn't really appreciate them acting on it.

But I smiled, pretending like I hadn't noticed.

And the date continued on like that. The silences filled with sexual innuendos and witty repartee.

But I was almost bored out of my mind.

Like it seemed Jiraiya was incapable of having a normal conversation without the sexual hints. In fact, if you grabbed the transcripts of our entire conversation, and blacked out all the parts that had anything to do with sex, having sex, the post coital, you would have a page of sentences. All from me, changing the topic.

I shook my head, to pay attention to him again but I couldn't help but want to be back at the flat, reading my smutty book in the bubbly bath, maybe Kakashi sitting on the nearby toilet seat, neither of us saying anything, in blissful silence.

I was almost tempted so say no when he asked me if we should take the discussion back to his room.

I hesitated.

I really didn't want to go with him… but would Kakashi wait up for me? Would he even care?

I shook my head and opened my mouth to say no and-

"Sure," came out instead as I placed my hand in his out stretched one.

Internally, I was beating my sub conscious into a bloody pulp. What a stupid reason I was doing this for? Was I trying to make Kakashi jealous?

_Well, dear subconscious, stop trying,_ I told myself bitingly.

_And it wouldn't even matter in the end of it, _I went on to think a little more sadly, _because when I am going to get back, I bet that Kakashi won't even be there. Too busy having it on with Sakura._ I thought to myself harshly, refusing myself to get my stupid hopes up because this was an even stupider reason for sleeping with Jiraiya.

I wasn't feeling lonely, my esteem about my scars wasn't at a critical low.

So why wasn't I backing out?

I was at the door, it would be so easy to say that I had to go home. I peeled off my shoes at the door.

It would be so easy to say that the food I ate was bad when we sat on the sofa. I allowed the thick bow at the nape of my neck to be unattached to expose my plum silk bra set.

What about when we were through the bedroom door, his mouth following every predictable pattern that men seemed to have, it would be so easy if I said I left the ovens on at work. But I allowed myself to be propelled backwards onto the bed, his mouth wandering over to my breasts.

I just stared at the ceiling, allowing the customary moans come out, but my mind kept circling over all the different excuses I could have given.

All left unsaid.

…o0o…

_Nathaniel 'Neil' Webbs kicked a metal can out into the empty car park. Stupid thing getting in his way. _

_He could smell the briny air in the Portsmouth harbour and he felt the grey overcast sinking into his bones, turning the already worn white into a faded black. Like his mood. _

_He sucked in a deep breath as he perched on the edge of a bench, looking out on the harbour, the boats bobbing happily, without a care for the fall out of the people around them. The fall out of Jennifer Webbs. They didn't care. _

_He took another breath, refusing to be beat down by this. She would wake up. She would. _

_The NHS gave up their best doctors for such a high profile case. He could just hear the disapproval in her tone as she stood there with her hands on her hips, "well what of all the other people in worse accidents than me? I'm taking their doctors? Don't you feel ashamed of yourself?" she would give a dismissive toss of her hair as she would turn back to making his favourite carrot cake in their kitchen, back in Dorset. "I'm not sure if you even deserve this cake," she would continue haughtily, her dark green eyes stern in the morning light leaking through the window. "Send them back." _

_Neil gave a small smile, rolling a bit of tape left over from being wrapped around his wrist between his fingers. God he missed her so much. _

_Seeing her laying there on the stark hospital bed, it didn't make sense that such a colourful person would be lying in a bleached box, tubes shoved down her throat and a computer screen at constant vigil at her side. _

_Neil huffed out another breath, rubbing his long brown hair in frustration. He would have to make time to go down to London that weekend. Everyone would understand. _

_Well, no they wouldn't. He hadn't told anyone and Susan was getting angry. _

_Screw her. It wasn't her business to know every fucking thing about his life. Then he felt the little pain of thinking about Jenny again. He knew how she felt about his swearing. _

_He gave a small chuckle that soon fell to sobs as he cupped his face to hide it from the surrounding world. He knew what she would say and he would reply "But you swear more than I do!" _

_Jenny would give him that look that would just say it all. "I know how to use mine though, when you stop being a baby about who gets to say what, I'll stop treating you like one." _

_God when would this pain ever stop? And would he ever let Jenny open her eyes again? _

_Would he let her see the daylight again? _

_Or would he just end her existence with the flip of a switch? _

_There were too many options and Neil didn't like his probability and was feeling his world spinning beneath him as he picked up his gym bag to start walking to the train station. _

_It was Sunday. It was time for Sunday roast at the parents, ignoring two empty chairs rather just that past May where him, Jenny and their parents were avoiding looking at just the one._

…o0o…

Sneaking out from under the beefy arm of Jiraiya was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in a while. And believe me, it wasn't the easiest thing ever and was a close call between letting him continue to lie there until the awkward morning after began.

But I was soon propelled out of the bed as soon as I thought about having sex with him again.

My usual rule of sleeping with older men fell through. While he had the imagination, he had slobbery kisses not unlike Kiba's and then he had all the moves to make it great sex, it felt like he was going through the motions. I know I was.

I decided then and there, the little feeling of vengeance wasn't worth it. The little feeling of _ha, take that, Kakashi!_ Barely lasted the climax of Jiraiya, which was two minutes.

I shuddered as I carried my heels in my hand while my left cupped my upper arm consolingly. There would be others or at least more promising candidates. I shouldn't beat myself up about this too much.

I squinted as I looked at my surroundings in the morning light suspiciously and sight. I should have paid more attention to where we were going rather than focusing on some unused excuse.

Heaving another sigh through my nose and I began to force myself to venture where I thought the middle of town was and that was when I saw it:

The fluffy, grey, gravity defying hair on a set of slouched shoulders.

Quickening my pace, the lamp light winked out just before I reached him and I saw Kakashi look up slightly annoyed as he was standing in the shadows so wouldn't have been able to get the light needed to read his book.

"Hey," I whispered, my voice bouncing off the walls of the grimy buildings surrounding us. Jiraiya didn't live in a nice district.

Kakashi looked up and saw me and gave me an eye crinkle as he gesture his book up to the recently turned out street light pointlessly.

"It broke."

I gave a giggle and an eye roll as I took his arm and dragged him out into the bright morning sunlight.

"But that works too," Kakashi continued contemplatively after a brief second of silence before shaking the book open in front of him again and began to read and walk in the direction I was originally heading.

I then thought about how he would know which way I went, he knew I had a bad sense of direction, so how would he know which way I went?

When I said as much all I got from him was a dubious raised eyebrow and an index pointing to his chest and he said "ninja."

Well.

How was that supposed to answer my question?

We continued walking through the town, looking like the walk of shame gone wrong and through the dark alleys and in the little shadows that were left I saw the other women (and men) sneaking through, hoping to get home before the morning market would be set up.

I gave a chuckle as I saw a particularly desperate woman dive behind a group of boxes and I could just imagine her doing a little tuck and roll to maintain her balance. But in my distraction, my foot stood on an exceptionally sharp (and big if I may add) piece of glass that triggered me to hiss and stumble, hopping awkwardly on one foot.

I slowed to rest a forearm against the wall for support as I tentatively picked up my foot to examine and cooed, disgusted.

"Holy shit that's gross," I grimaced, as I tried to pick the glass out with my hand only to have it batted away by an orange covered book.

I yanked my hand away protectively, searching for more assaults but instead, I found Kakashi resting on the ground in front of me, rotating my foot this way and that, looking at my foot at different angles. The little fireworks shooting off all around the sensitive skin of my ankle.

He finally shook his head in resignation, he stood. Some relief covered my brain at the release of my foot, my body not acclimatised to the feeling of him and his skin causing what felt like nuclear fusions underneath my skin.

"So what's the verdict? Are you actually going to take that glass out or going to let me suffer?" a little of my annoyance came through at having to be stopped from taking the worst of it out.

But again, instead of answering, Kakashi bent down and hauled me over his shoulder, fireman style. And I did the only logic thing being turned over in that manner. I shrieked.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" I tried to manoeuver my arms around to hold my skirt down to stop them flashing my silky briefs to the little public that were beginning to make their presences known.

"I'm trying to get you home where you don't put any more pressure on the glass to push into your foot," Kakashi replied calmly before jogging down some steps causing my teeth the clatter together like castanets.

"That's why I was trying to take it out earlier," I responded irritably into his shoulder, my voice probably muffled by the material of his shirt, but despite the fact that I like men looking at my knickers, I only liked that when I was the one taking off my clothes, not for some creepy onlooker!

My breath came out in sharp pants as I felt all my front that was connected to Kakashi begin to roam with all these electrical charges like multiple naked wires sparking right against my skin. It was getting down right uncomfortable.

"But you would just have made a mess of it and time is of the essence since we are trying to get you home in time for you to get changed and get to work," Kakashi replied, and we began to jog up some stairs again and this time I held my jaw tightly in check, trying not to allow my teeth to click.

I was trying to focus so much but there was some beeping in the background and my head pivoted this way and that to try and find the source but came up empty as everywhere around us was deserted.

Then there was a clinking of keys and the metal grind of the door sounding out a low mournful sound as it was pushed open.

We walked passed the couch.

And when I said 'we', I meant Kakashi walked straight passed the couch and into the little corridor, passing the kitchen and went straight into the bathroom, where I was carefully turned back the right way up onto the lip of the bathtub.

The blood flowed out of my head at a fast rate and I swayed as a little bit of the feeling of motion sickness hit and I gripped onto the side with a fierce determination.

I could feel the pain intensify as my skin tried to heal over the glass and was getting viciously cut for its efforts.

I hissed as I felt more blood drip out of me, my teeth gritted together tighter, my jaw aching.

Kakashi came back with some tweezers, a small scalpel that sent a twinge of unease through me and a bottle of antiseptic, all resting on a white towel that looked a little stained.

"Are you sure that's sanitary?" I asked doubtfully looking at the towel then at Kakashi who was busy turning on the taps of the bath and adjusting the temperature.

All I got was a grunt.

Rolling my eyes, I allowed Kakashi to concentrate as he finally settle on the almost boiling temperature, man handling my legs so that they were resting in the water. I couldn't really complain about his attitude as my grimy feet began to have the dirt melted off them.

Raising the injured foot out of the water, his touch only enlarging my pain yet I tried not to let him see it as I winced less visibly than I wanted to, biting my lip. Kakashi held the offending appendage up for inspection in the harsh lighting of the bathroom and began to pick out the large pieces of glass and put them into the little bin by his feet.

This agonising process felt like it took forever as my leg muscles started to strain from being held in an alleviated position for so long and then I could feel my one night stand energy hitting my eyes and feeling so tired…

"Stay awake Jenny," a tiny slap hit my cheek forcing my eyes awake again.

I cupped my cheek, my mouth open in mock outrage.

"Domestic abusive, so early in the relationship?" I gasped and wanted to pretend to swoon but I knew I was too tired to hold my balance properly on the thin edge of the tub.

Kakashi gave a grunt as he got another piece of the glass fragment.

When he still didn't answer, my head fell back to rest between my shoulder blades, leaning back on my hands that were supporting my body on the edge. "Are you going to be finished soon?"

"Almost there," Kakashi said while going for a large dig. I hissed trying to with tract my foot away from the pain, but Kakashi held on resolutely.

"Kakashi," I whined, trying to get him to release me by shaking my captured limb a little.

"I said I'm almost there," he chastised, his eye narrowed on the laceration.

I sighed and braced myself for another hard excavation. It came and I hissed again, but this time I tried not to take my foot back.

"There," he said finally, lowering my foot back into the now lukewarm water to wash away the remaining grime and the top layer of blood.

He lifted my muscle sore limb out of the water his thumb began to slowly rub away the clotted red and the free flowing kind, with gentle circles to inspect it again before bringing the disinfectant and unceremoniously pour a liberal dose onto the cut.

I kicked out, trying to catch him in the chest, for the enormous amount of pain he just put me through but he caught it easily and inspected the cut as he watched it finally knit closed.

"There all better," Kakashi lay down my leg, this time on the ratty bath mat beneath so I was straddling the edge of the bathtub.

"Do I get a lolly pop too? What about a cool plaster?" I asked jokingly, taking my other foot out of the bath this time and began to dry it with the slightly bloody towel used to rest my foot on when the operation was occurring.

Kakashi stood up and went to the cabinet below the sink and hunted around for a little bit and finally when he found what he was looking for he took my hand and placed the small wrapper in my hand.

And when I looked down, what I saw made my tired brain wire into hysterical laughter.

Resting in the palm of my hand was a grey plaster completely covered in throwing stars.

It was so not him, yet so… was.

I looked back into Kakashi's face where I saw he looked disgruntled for my laughter.

I tried to smother my smile to no avail.

"Would you put it on Doctor Hatake?" I asked teasingly, holding up my foot in the air expectantly swaying it around in front of his face, wiggling my toes.

He rolled his eyes but never the less, took my proffered foot and began the sticky business of unpeeling the protective plastic and sticking the plaster onto my foot.

With a final rub, Kakashi placed my foot back onto the floor, signifying my foot bandaged.

"You realise that was useless right?" I said, as I pushed myself off the bath and walked perfectly into the bedroom to get the towels from the cupboard. I heard no foot steps behind me but when I turned around he was right there.

I gave a little squeak of surprise that was easily subdued as Kakashi crowded me unintentionally against the wall.

"Did anything happen last night?" he asked, lowering his forearms to the thin wall behind me.

Okay, so maybe the crowding _was_ intentional.

"Wha-what do you mean?" I asked my voice small, looking down at the towel my hands, pushing my fingers into the rough patches from over use.

"I mean," Kakashi enunciated perfectly, "are you alright? That pervert didn't do anything…" he trailed off, his eyes going dull.

And then I realised where his thoughts were going.

"Oh!" I exclaimed. "Oh no, nothing like that," I rushed to reassure him, my arms going around his waist. "You don't need to worry about that, and he seems like your friend, I doubt that he would ever have done anything like that."

My senses were spitting at me, complaining about the back and forth between the lack of feeling and the perception of _over feeling_.

Kakashi's arms returned my hug despite his voice was still gruff, as if he didn't care.

"Sorry I was just thinking of that mission," he said.

I flinched.

"That guy never did anything then either," I said quietly, my face into his chest hoping he didn't hear me, hoping he did.

"Oh," Kakashi released me, his hand going behind his head, awkward.

I forced a smile on my face.

"Stop being such a worry wart," I said brightly, bopping his nose with my fingertip as I ducked under his arm, past him and walked to the bathroom, keeping an eye on the time.

Hopping into the shower, I removed every last bit of DNA of Jiraiya from my body, and removed my mask from the night before.

I was not Jenny the Instigator. I was not Jenny the Reciprocator.

I was Jenny. Just Jenny.

…o0o…

Sorry, about the wait and I'm sorry about the poor quality, I just couldn't get Jenny right for once :(

Just deal with this poor human for a little while longer.


	12. Strange Dreams Next To A Pervert

Strange Dreams Next To A Pervert

"**Sorry I was just thinking of that mission," he said. **

**I flinched. **

"**He never did anything then," I said quietly, my face into his chest hoping he didn't hear me, hoping he did. **

"**Oh," Kakashi released me, his hand going behind his head, awkward. **

**I forced a smile on my face. **

"**Stop being such a worry wart," I said brightly, bopping his nose with my fingertip as I ducked under his arm, past him and walked to the bathroom, keeping an eye on the time. **

**Hopping into the shower, I removed every last bit of DNA of Jiraiya from my body, and removed my mask from the night before. **

**I was not Jenny the Instigator. I was not Jenny the Reciprocator. **

**I was Jenny. Just Jenny.**

…o0o…

I covered my wide mouth with my hand, trying to quell the urge to yawn _again_.

Shaking my head, I let the wave of exhaustion take over and let out a little squeak when the yawn finally finished. I rubbed my face tiredly, wondering if I should even put make up on if my eyes were going to water each time I gave a sign of opening my mouth again.

Looking in the mirror, the sleepless nights were beginning to show something awful. Blue shadows building up beneath my eyes, bloodshot whites where even my usual bright blue eyes were dulled from not sleeping. It truly was a horror to look at.

Just staring at my pyjama clad form, the thought that I needed to get ready for going out with everyone tonight, crossed my mind but glancing at my haggard face, it seemed insurmountable at that point.

I sighed, rubbing a little of the lingering condensation from the mirror from my shower before. Behind me, I could hear the water rattling against the cheap plastic of the shower cubicle signalling Kakashi was showering.

Taking as my chance to change in peace, I left the room as I quickly grabbed the first things to my hands: normal, lazy knickers and bra with a v neck black t shirt with my lace up seams shorts. I wasn't trying to impress anyone. Hell, my foggy mind could barely think of impressing anyone else with the sheer exhaustion that was laying down on me like a big ass Alsatian on Christmas day.

When tying up the bows at my hips, I went to the utilitarian mirror, the only thing occupying that side of the room for a perusal of my form.

Checking over my shoulder quickly for Kakashi and even to my dulled hearing, I could hear the shower still raining. Reassured, I bent over to check for pantie lines.

My head craned over, and I wiggled my hips from side to side to determine if my knickers were shown anywhere and much to my irritation I saw that no matter where I looked I could see the baggy whiteness even through the black fabric.

Straightening up, I rubbed my face wearily. Maybe I should just call it a night.

"What were you doing?" a mild voice said from the door.

I jumped, a little eep coming through, my feet instinctively positioning themselves in a way to defend or flee, I couldn't decide.

Probably flee. I knew from the scars on my body, I couldn't protect myself even if I had _wanted_ to.

Covering my mouth which was now panting from the unused adrenaline, I gave a breathless laugh when I saw Kakashi propped against the door frame, his arms folded across his bare chest, a pair of baggy shorts hanging low, oh so low, on his hips, highlighting his v lines.

I tried to distract myself from the unconscious modelling from my roommate to try and focus on what he just said.

"I was just…uh," I stuttered, colouring. "I was just, um," I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly trying to find an excuse, my eyes looking to the ceiling again.

"Trying to see a way where you wouldn't see your knickers?" Kakashi asked knowingly, moving forward into the room where he opened the drawer closest to him and pulled out a long sleeved black top, despite the hot humidity that seemed to be a constant companion in this region.

Realising what Kakashi had just said, I scowled, blushing, refusing to look at him.

"And to achieve that, I propose you go without," he said calmly, his hand still figuring out the holes in which the various appendages were supposed to go through.

I stared at him in something akin to horror. Me, knickerless? I could already feel the chafing or the-the…_uncleanliness_ of it all. I shuddered. No, there was only a few ways I go without underwear: under pyjamas where I know I'm not going to be greeting anyone and the shower because imagine how stupid that would be for getting clean?

"But that's barbaric!" I cried, my hands crossing over my chest to try and put another barrier of defence against him.

"What? Easy access?" his eyes never wavered from his mission of getting his shirt on.

"Well…" I stuttered, not sure why that was a bad thing before I reassumed my indignation. "It's still weird, you'll get fluff in places you never knew you had!"

Kakashi wrinkled his nose in distaste under his mask.

"Fair point," he said, threading his arms through his sleeves. "But that was extremely crass, even for you."

I flushed and toed the ground trying not to remember what I had just said moments before.

He never stopped in his movements of rolling his top down over his chest and abs. While I was not complaining as the sight of all that exposed flesh, I _was_ beginning to get distracted from my argument of knickers or no knickers. Finally Kakashi moved and turned to leave again but I heard his voice that seemed a bit more chilled compared to the light hearted tone we had just the moment before.

"There is nothing wrong with staying in tonight," he pushed the sentence out between his teeth, his hands already in gloves from the top of the dresser.

"So why aren't you trying to stay in tonight?" I called after his retreating form. "I know that you are tired, have you been sleeping alright?"

Kakashi just waved a hand at me, a lazy hand to show his sign of hearing me but couldn't be bothered to answer.

After a moment of silence with me leaning to the side to ensure that he wasn't coming back anytime soon, I bit my lip, my thumbs already hooked in the waist band of my shorts.

Could I do it? It went against everything that I believed in.

But after seeing the matter of fact and smug look on the quarter of his visible face, I confirmed it was worth the risk. Seeing as he was gone, I took the opportunity to quickly remove my knickers and pulled on my shorts again with a haste that got my toes catching at every point, making my rush all for nothing when I heard the muffled steps of Kakashi.

Finally, after much wrangling, I managed to shove the not really used knickers back in their draw before doing up the laces again at the tops of my hips before Kakashi rounded the corner and went to his book shelf where he stood there, pondering.

Flipping out my hair, I turned to the mirror again and saw the knots accumulating in the bottom of the already growing hair again. I flicked my hand around one of the knots. I would have to get Kakashi to cut it. Again.

Huffing out a sigh, I turned to go to the bathroom, happening to bump into Kakashi at the same time, he reached out a hand to steady me. I ignored the feeling of wholeness that overcame me with his touch as I retracted a step to allow him to go first.

"Are you sure you should be going out tonight?" Kakashi asked, concerned, preceding me into the hallway.

I frowned.

"Ye-yeah," I stuttered through a larger yawn causing tears to well up. "Why do you keep asking?"

Kakashi gave me a dubious look. "You are yawning all the time, you look like shit," my brow furrowed harder at that. "All I'm saying is that maybe you should stay in tonight."

"Well maybe you should stay in tonight too," I snapped a little of unknown anger swelling like a tidal wave, "you look like shit generally."

Immediately, the wave dissipated and I felt bad when the pervert said nothing. All he did was just raise his eyebrow at me, his hands on his hips. His eyes were all like _you just proved my point for me_.

"Sorry," I muttered, wilting. "Maybe I am more than a bit tired."

But it wasn't like I was _trying_ to be tired all the time. It was just the… dreams. Well, more like nightmares, where I was trapped with that beeping again, my limbs tied down, so much like when that man cut into m-

I shuddered. It was best not to think about it.

Kakashi moved forward, back into the space I had just departed and relaxed a hand on my forehead, feeling my temperature.

"You don't feel sick," he said mildly, his eye focusing on the wall behind me.

"Beca-because I'm not," I protested through another jawbreaker, my hand going to cover my mouth. "I just had a couple of rough nights."

Kakashi rolled his eyes as I pathetically tried to push past him with my weak shoves, before he finally let me by with a stumble.

Shooting him a glare, I went to the bathroom and pulled out a hair brush from my side of the sink and pulled it through the tiny snarls, the only sound in the bathroom.

He walked passed me once he had gotten his fill of looking at me like a stern parent. Settling himself on the closed lid of the toilet, his book was already out on his designated page. Looking at him from the corner of my eye, I tried for indifference as I asked a question that had always been on my mind since I had met him.

"Why _do_ you read the same series over and over again?" I asked, my bloodshot eyes never once leaving my mirror me. "Doesn't it get boring?"

I could feel his stare boring into my profile and I tried to pretend it wasn't affecting me despite the fact I was shuffling on my toes, subconsciously trying to give him less to see.

"If you had read it, you wouldn't say something so blasphemous," Kakashi said plainly, his head tucking back down to continue to read his smut.

I sighed, rubbing my eyes gingerly.

"I would have if your girlfriend hadn't destroyed it in her misplaced anger at you," I muttered under my breath thinking he hadn't heard me.

But had I been trying to see his reaction, I would have seen Kakashi start before covering it up as a shift for comfort.

Turning away from my fatigued form in the mirror to get my foundation brush, I spread the second skin to try and sweep some life and vitality in what looked to be the corpse bride's face. I made sure to get plenty under my shadowed eyes while rolling black over my lids to give the impression of mystery.

However, I cut my regime short of the usual eye curling and eye shadow. Frankly, I was too tired.

Washing my hands of any product that survived, I pulled my black v neck to re fit tightly over my body and I turned myself this way and that, to ensure I looked at least less dead at every angle.

"When is Sakura meant to be arriving?" I asked, turning to grab my perfume to layer that on where I smelled slightly stale from the night sweats, or the technically the nap sweats that I had tried to take earlier.

"Whose Neil?" Kakashi asked abruptly changing the subject, the snapping of his book closed an even bigger surprise.

Startled, I turned my stare to him, not sure on what to say, my mouth garbling for some kind of response.

"You haven't been sleeping well, you are restless in bed and you keep muttering his name the most along with your parents and a girl called Susie. So who is he?" Kakashi demanded, his shoulders were still slouched in his lazy grace, yet his eye was sharp enough that I knew I couldn't lie.

I felt my reluctance come out and I turned admire my reflection again.

"My brother. I think," I said quietly, remembering to pretend for my amnesia.

My eyes became shadowed, despite the thick layer of foundation covering them just at the thought of my lost brother.

"I've just been having these, these nightmares. Where I feel trapped in my body, I can't move, I can't seem to breathe unless someone is forcing me to just do it!" the outburst finally came out after days of no sleep where I was only going to tell him that it was nightmares.

"And then people come in all the time, some sound like doctors, other times it sounds like Neil and my mum and dad and and-" I cut off with a blub of the lump in my throat cutting my voice off.

Kakashi stood, alarmed as I basically collapsed with the force of my sobs and animalistic cries. I was never a pretty crier.

My chest hurt so much from the loss of my family, the fear that I wouldn't see them again. Just all the tension of being lost and no one to ever find me was scary enough.

Kakashi crouched with me, a hand extended awkwardly, unsure what to do.

So there we were positioned, my sitting on my heels, my hands limply lying on my thighs, clenched into harmless fists and Kakashi, trying to reach me through my emotional breakdown, but not sure how to breach the wall.

Finally, when I had cried myself out, I leant back on the cabinets under the sink, my head tilting to rest on the cheap wood too, my chest heaving.

Kakashi mimicked me but instead of his feet trailing to the side, his were both out stretched in front of him, almost kicking the bath tub.

"Sorry," Kakashi offered, almost helplessly.

I couldn't contain the hysteric laughter as my hand crept up to rub against my chest where my heart pumped in its vigour to keep me alive. It hurt too.

"You didn't even do anything," I finally croaked out, my throat dry from the wails that had screeched out, a dry chuckle still managed its way out.

Kakashi shrugged weakly. "I felt like I had to say something," he said, his right hand itching a scratch on the back of his neck.

I just shook my head, finding the energy to push myself to my feet again, and look at my face where you could see the tear tracks down my face. I scrunched my face up in distaste.

"Why didn't you tell me I looked like this sooner?" I asked, almost teasingly, also kind of serious.

Kakashi smoothly stood up and walked so he was at the door before her turned his head over his shoulder. "A little firefly told me that it was bad to make a woman feel bad about herself with her appearance," Kakashi paused before continuing. "Then again, we _are_ talking about you so I guess I have no excuse."

He barely rounded the door frame before the hair brush hit where he was previously standing, the hair brush denting the chipped white painted frame.

I huffed, shaking my head slightly amused. What was I going to do with him?

Reapplying my make up in the most needed places, I finally made my way out of the bathroom where I saw Kakashi trying to lie comfortably on the crumbled sofa that was in two pieces, where the cushions were haphazardly re-stuffed with its foam, uncaring of comfort.

"You should probably replace that?" I said, walking through the door to the kitchen to get my glass of water so I completely missed Kakashi's agreeing, pitiful face.

"Why should I bother to replace something when it doesn't need to be replaced?" Kakashi called through the door.

I stopped filling my glass to walk to the door where all I did was poke my head out and raise my brow showing the disbelief in the one movement.

"It's perfectly usable," Kakashi defended just as he repositioned himself and gave an almost imperceptible wince and picked up a kunai from the cushion that hadn't been removed.

I rolled my eyes walking back into the kitchen to guzzle my drink in peace without the crazy talking of a mad man to ruin it for me.

There was a thumping on the door signifying our escort and with a bristling the only sign of my discomfort, I gave Sakura a smile as I opened the door for her before backing away.

"Should we go?" I said, grabbing my bag that was by the door and slid on my open toed heels.

Sakura gave me a brief nod of acknowledgment before turning her attention to the broken sofa and Kakashi.

"You need to replace that soon," she said matter of fact.

Kakashi gave her a brief wave to say that she had heard her before reabsorbing himself in the orange layered novel. "Soon," he promised.

A little crush of anger simmered under my skin before I heaved it out in a sigh through my nose.

"Are we going or what?" I asked a little snippy and I wished someone would just beat me with a rounders bat to put me out of my jealous misery.

Sakura gave me a look and shrugged. "Whenever we decide to go, maybe you should go without us, so I can get 'Kashi ready," Sakura said, her eyes now looking lewdly down at her boyfriend from the door.

Internally I snorted. Yeah, I'm sure that was what you were planning on doing when I had left rather than fuck his brains out you bloody nymphomaniac.

I wanted to do something to get that look off her face but instead I placed a mask of niceness to clasp my face in every single crevice knowing that the lack of sleep was making me more grumpy than usual.

"Oh, I would but I don't know where we are drinking tonight," I said sweetly, the mental image of me stomping on Sakura's face the only reason why my smile was still there. Horrified at myself, I tried to actual smile more but I think it came out a bit manic.

Sakura's face twisted unpleasantly in displeasure before calling to Kakashi to "hurry his ass up!"

I frowned. Where was my hatred coming from? I could just imagine my mother's face already disapproving, her hands busy with a tea towel as she was almost on the verge of hitting me with it.

"_What had this poor soul deserved of your hatred? You should be ashamed of yourself, Jennifer. Go talk to your father, right now."_

Then I knew that my dad would just give me a look of disappointment which was worse than if he had shouted at me. I smiled at myself wistfully but resigned myself to walking with both Kakashi and Sakura.

The steps towards the pub was awkward and tiring as I was listening to their talks about anything and everything, Sakura's giggles and Kakashi's measured murmurs. It was just like at the hospital again. I was third wheeling to a great extent and I was wishing myself an alcoholic beverage to greet me in my hand by the time I had reached the pub.

When walking through the door, there must have been a God because who else would have heard my prayer?

Naruto and Hinata, Shikamaru and Ino, then finally in the corner was Sasuke nursing his own beer were sitting in a brighter corner of the dingy pub with a spare glass which I assumed was for me. After blindingly grabbing hold of the sweating glass offered by the beaming blond, I downed it in one and smacked my lips in appreciation before sliding into a chair between Naruto and Ino. Ready to get comfortable.

Poor choice indeed.

I chose to sit between not one couple, but _two_ couples. Sigh, why did I do this to myself?

And it wasn't even any better than Kakashi and Sakura.

Naruto was suffering from a very serious disease called young love and I could already see the symptoms.

Example symptom: called for awkward displays of public affection where they would kiss, one would blush. It was repetitive and boring. Guess who would try and put his arm around his girlfriend only for her to jump and faint? Oh yeah that would still be Naruto and Hinata. It was alarming the first few times until Ino batted my concern away saying this was a record for the least amount of times that she had fainted in the past hour. The after the fifteenth time, I was willing to tug my hair out in frustration.

This just aggravated me beyond belief. If you like someone and you know they like you back what was the point in getting all nervous?

Well, I thought that, but as soon as I did, my eyes unknowingly were drawn to Sakura and Kakashi who opted to stay by the bar and drink their drinks for the time being. It wasn't like that I thought that Kakashi liked me back and it wasn't like that I _liked_ liked him that way, yet I still got nervous in his presence anyway. But it was more of a…_lust_ kind of thing.

Hopefully.

Then, there was Shikamaru and Ino, where they never learned to _stop_ this phase. It's a very serious condition they had. But thankfully, they had outgrown the awkwardness.

Unluckily for me however as I sat there being the fifth wheel or seventh wheel, as it may be interpreted, with no one to talk to and I wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind to even consider going home with someone else that night.

Huffing out a pump of air from my mouth, my fringe that was framing my face flipped up in a pathetic wag of their tails.

Finally losing my patience, my fingers were itching to be brought to my mouth for something other than to yawn. Leaning around Ino who was cooing sexy nothings in an almost oblivious Shikamaru, who wasn't as nonchalant as he thought as my eyes in coming up to meet his, I saw the way his hand was sitting, not so innocently on Ino's thigh.

"Do you have a fag I could borrow?" I whispered to him.

Ino just glared at me like I was the biggest cock block in this entire fucked up country ('scuse my language) and I just returned it right back yet with less vigour as the tired irritation could also be seen as jealousy for the fact that I had no one to hold like that.

Shikamaru on the other hand, just gave me a sigh but accepted that I was just going to go asking everyone around until finally reverting back to him as I knew that he was a strong smoker of four years who never went without at least one cigarette from his house.

Accepting his bag and rolling paper, I quickly rolled one surreptitiously under the table until I excused myself from the other company present, trying to avoid making eye contact with the couples around. It was one of the ways this disease caught. It was soon to be an epidemic.

Sliding out into the beer garden, my hand already brought out my smut filled book for times such as these.

Yet it was just as I was revelling in the almost sunset and as I stuck the cigarette in my mouth that I realised I didn't have a light to let me get some of the smoke recovery. I sighed, aggravated, snapping my book angrily closed again.

Maybe it was a sign from God that I didn't need to begin a bad habit again as I rocked my head against the wall behind me disappointed. There wasn't even anyone out there to offer me a light.

I got the strangest urge to stomp my foot in frustration, as I thought of what to do.

I considered going back inside to where everyone was refusing to get drunk because they had "missions" or "hospital" or "a clan meeting" the next day so couldn't afford to be hung over. Then I thought of those who _could_ get drunk but didn't want to annoy their other half with getting so blind drunk. Ludicrous.

I rubbed my face irritably, I really needed to get some sleep. I was getting extremely grumpy and curse-y over little things. But that was when my saviour occurred. As my cancer stick still hanging out of my mouth morosely, I saw feet walking towards me and the tell-tale click of a lighter.

"You need a light?" the toneless voice asked and I barely nodded before they brought the flame to my cigarette and I was inhaling the toxic fumes.

I breathed the smoke out through my nose.

I leant my head back against the stone wall, my eyes shut, allowing the sunlight to warm the column of my throat.

"Why is it the bad stuff always feels so good?" I moaned to myself a little smile brightening on my face, bringing up my stick to draw in again.

"I don't know but I hate it," the other voice settled beside me and heard the telling sign of them also smoking through the exaggerated huff of breath out.

I snorted but instead of answering, I opted for another drag. Opening my eyes to inspect my neighbour and instead of some random stranger, there, stood next to me, was Uchiha Sasuke.

My eyes popped wide open, my tired grumpiness forgotten as I just took in his blue and black clad form.

Sasuke was taking another inhalation of the smoke when he caught me staring at him and he returned the gaze, no glares, no bitterness. Nothing.

It made me suspicious.

"What?" he finally asked, turning to lean forward to grab his pint that was sitting on the table in front of us.

Taking advantage of his distraction, I went to sit on the bench in front of him to hide the fact that, in my shock, my legs couldn't hold me.

_This_ was the jackass that Sakura had been cheating on Kakashi with?

But while Sasuke gave an awful, _awful_, first impression, this vulnerable version, the one that didn't glare at you, was actually someone who I could think of sleeping with. The black floppy hair that I could just grab, dark eyes that seem almost fiery in their need to conquer-

I coughed a little as the smoke caught in the back of my throat and I realised that I still hadn't answered his question.

"Just," I faltered, taking another smoke before saying, "never took you for a smoker."

Sasuke smirked, deliberately taking a particularly long drag, as if to prove me wrong.

"It is a bad habit, but when you are _bored out of your mind_ you can be a little more lenient," he said, while toneless, there was some dry humour in it that made me chuckle.

"So, so true," I muttered, eyeing his drink enviously. "It just doesn't help that everyone in there was a couple," I groaned, lowering my face into my arms.

There was a shifting of clothes that indicated that Sasuke had decided to join me sitting at the table.

He agreed by taking another puff. There was no need to answer such a blatant statement.

"And I was hopefully going to get drunk tonight as well," I mumbled into my arms, _just so I can get a decent night's sleep without the nightmares_, I continued to myself darkly in my mind, my cigarette almost entirely forgotten in between my fingers.

"Same," Sasuke's voice came out as a wistful sigh and I curiously peeked through my arms where I propped my face up with a fist.

"What reasons require you to get drunk?"

Instead of answering, he gave me a look that said _why would I tell you?_

But then said:

"I don't do back stories," his voice was cold and unapproachable.

Instead, I rolled my eyes. These dark and silent types sure got annoying after a while. But I held my cigarette in place as I took another lungful of the breathable cancer.

"Whatever, I was just making conversation," I gave the dark haired man a speculative glance out of the corner of my eye. "But maybe since everyone is so preoccupied, do you want to go hit up another place?"

While seemingly random and my earlier dislike for him had dissipated under days of lack of sleep, where they were taking their toll. Reason has no place in a tired brain.

Sasuke just examined me, taking a gulp of his pint.

"Where did you have in mind?" he asked, crushing his cigarette out in the ash tray.

I beamed as I also put my finished cigarette in the bowl.

"Where ever the booze is cheap," I said, bending to pick my bag from the floor.

Sasuke shrugged, not planning on arguing with me, but as I turned, I ran into a familiar chest, where his touch invigorated my recently worn out system. I gasped as I stumbled back into Sasuke, who steadied me with his hands on my shoulders, gently pushing me forward back towards the person who hadn't moved.

Apology on my lips, I looked up into Kakashi's face.

"Hey!" I grinned, sliding the strap of my bag over my shoulder. "I was just coming to look for you to tell you that I'm leaving."

"With him?" while the question was phrased nonchalantly, there was a certain bite to his tone when he said 'him'.

My brow furrowed at the tone. Yeah, Sasuke wasn't his favourite person, but that didn't mean that Kakashi could just judge me for going out with him. After all, if I wanted to throw stones, I had plenty of ammunition.

Not that I was petty. Not at all.

"Yeah," I said, I tried to smooth my frown but both men weren't making it easy with their harsh glares and almost death emanating auras from both of them.

"Maybe that's not a good idea tonight Jenny," Kakashi said, trying to talk louder than Sasuke behind me who had decided to join in with the conversation.

"What's wrong Kakashi? Dipping the fingers in two pies?" Sasuke's cutting remark, dissolving any form of polite exchange.

I winced, both at the uncouth way that Sasuke phrased it, the way Kakashi's face never changed, as if he didn't care about what he said. As if it was like _yeah, we could be cheating on Sakura, we might not._

I wanted to smack my face at the situation but then Sasuke had to go and make it worse.

"You aren't her minder Kakashi, just butt, out," Sasuke enunciated each word perfectly, meaning that I couldn't save the situation by saying that Kakashi, despite his hearing being the most supreme that I had met, heard Sasuke wrong.

This time I really did hit my forehead with a hand. This was getting into more trouble than it was worth. I didn't really need to get drunk now did I?

I could probably just go home with a hot mug of milk and cinnamon and I would lie down in Kakashi's surprisingly comfy mattress and fall asleep.

I let the men continue to fight over my head, increasing a pounding I had beginning in my forehead. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more tempting the thought of going to bed sounded.

When it appeared the men had reached their crescendo as loud as the mild mannered Kakashi could get, I decided to intervene.

"You know what, Sasuke? I'm just really tired now, I might do some other time, if you wanted?" I offered him a smile when he nodded yet not without his face suddenly closing off, aloof.

As I turned back to face my roommate I felt an almost smug aura radiating out of his very pores while he remained expressionless his hand went to guide me back into the pub on my lower back.

An irate emotion overcame me and I smacked away his outstretched hand. I don't know what happened, but one moment I was siding with Kakashi the next I was completely against him.

When I really thought about it, I realised, that while Kakashi may be happy with me being alone amongst the couples, I didn't like it, especially if I had to sit there while all the others around me were so happy. It wasn't exactly fair.

Although, that could just be me being mean again. Man, I hated being exhausted.

"Don't look so smug pervert," I snarled, my hand still outstretched in its frenzy to keep some distance between me and him.

Kakashi just looked down on me, his eye blank yet from the stern holding of his shoulders, I could tell he wasn't pleased.

Seeing this, I tried to measure my tone, soften it.

"I'm sorry, I'm just feeling a little tired, I think I'm just going to go back to the flat," I said while walking past him, trying not to make any contact.

"Jenny," Kakashi said behind me and I don't know why it made me stop.

It wasn't loud or surprising, it wasn't a plea or an order, but I stopped anyway. It was my name from his lips. I _had_ to stop much alike the Earth _had_ to orbit the Sun. Maybe he really did want me to stay?

"We've only just arrived, maybe a couple more minutes," Kakashi said casually, like he couldn't care less about my answer, a comment on the weather, a filler in the silence.

A slump settled on my shoulders, a slight depression hitting me. He was asking out of obligation, nothing more. Nothing less. How stupid am I?

I waved him away weakly. "Right now, I think I should just go to sleep," I gave him a wan smile as if that would show him physically how tired I was.

Kakashi's visible eyebrow lowered.

"I'll walk you-" he began to say but I cut him off bluntly.

"No, that's fine," I said, "I don't want to cause any inconvenience, I can walk home. Alone," I added meaningfully at the end to try and make it obvious that he shouldn't spend any more time with me. That he didn't need to waste anymore false concern for me.

I rubbed my forehead, continuing to walk through the door straight back into the darkened pub to say my goodbyes but finally his gloved hand grabbed my forearm, awakening the cells of the skin that he touched, rushing away any thought of being tired.

I was _awake_.

"Just because he said that comment earlier, doesn't change anything that we've done before," He said lowly to not alert the black haired ninja behind us. "Don't let him make you think you're wrong."

Startled, I gave him a more real smile this time but at the same time uncurling his fingers from their grip on my arm and place it back at his side. My body dulled so I couldn't smell the harsh cigarettes on my breath, that I couldn't smell the sweet spearmint and tea tree on the person in front of me.

I was already yearning for his touch again.

Mentally, I smacked myself silly for such a love sick thought. I knew I was going to catch these couples' disease. It was only a matter of time. But it was okay, I reassured myself, it was only lust right? I nodded indistinctly. Right.

"It's not because of that," I said, despite that it really _was_ the reason why I wanted to go back. "You were the one to tell me that I needed to get some sleep."

"You can sleep later," he said firmer, now realising that I was avoiding something, but unknown to what.

"I-" I hesitated. How far was I going to go just to get out of the situation?

Looking up at his determined face, I knew that he was going to resort to any means possible to get me to stay unless it sounded reasonable.

"It's just, I'm still a little angry with Sakura for not replacing my stuff, so I really don't think I can be around her right now," I lied in a whisper, looking to the side, as if in shame but my little tell was my knuckle going to rub my nose earnestly.

I wasn't really angry enough with the pink haired kunoichi, but I was a bit miffed that she _still_ hadn't replaced my stuff and I thought that there could be enough there to get away with that answer.

Kakashi looked at me shrewdly but his shoulders loosened as unknown tension had left him.

"At least let me walk you-" Kakashi said helplessly while his tone sounded uncaring, I thought maybe, I had actually hurt his feelings or maybe tugged the rug out from under his feet.

I shook my head, before he had finished speaking.

"I-I want the time alone," I said, my hands reaching for long sleeves that weren't by my wrists for me to tug them down.

I winced. Why didn't I think of some other phrase? Stupid, stupid, stupid! I was the one who told him not to leave me alone again so of course he was going to realise something is up.

Kakashi's eyes sharpened as he realised this fact too.

Pulling my hair to curl around my finger I avoided his eyes as I rapidly walked back through the pub and out of the door to walk home in the humid heat where the pressure of the last few minutes had beaded in sweat at the nape of my neck.

I sighed in relief as I walked slowly, scuffing my shoes every now and then.

I glanced around me just looking at the buildings and hearing the trees on the other side of the village rustle, calling to me to go for a run. My feet began to patter on the pavement delicately with my heels before I remembered that I was bone tired.

Slowing down again in disappointment, I vowed I would go the next day.

It was quickly done the walk home as I finally reached the steps leading up to the flat.

I looked up at the craggy steps and I couldn't help but heave a sigh. I wish I didn't have to deal with this as I crawled up the steps on my hands and knees. It was undignified but I was so _tired. _Until I finally reached the top, I collapsed down with my breasts heaving. The exhaustion had finally hit me and it hit me hard.

I forced myself to get to my arms under me which shook from the strain but in the end I fell back down again.

I knew I had to get up. I knew it.

But then I was thinking of how comfy and how _tired_ I was and could use the sleep.

So I felt my limbs go limp as I finally slipped under the suffocating wave of REM.

…o0o…

Kakashi sighed, his hands on his hips as he stood over Jenny's prone body. He knew something was wrong when Jenny wanted to leave early, and said she wanted to be alone. He frowned. He would ask why later.

He sighed, running his hand down his face in resignation. But for now, he had to take the girl back into the flat.

Pushing a hand under her resistant knee caps and shoulders, Kakashi pulled her up to be cradled against his chest. When he felt her mumble out a complaint, he hushed her.

"Come on firefly, there is a bed with your name on it," Kakashi murmured to the basically comatose girl.

Balancing her weight on one knee while he rummaged in his pocket for a key, Jenny started to squirm, little whimpers coming out, her face pinching in distress like the majority of the nightmares of that entire week.

Kakashi tried to withhold his concern as Jenny started to whimper louder. It had been like that for the past few days and even began to affect him when one time she actually screamed her brother's name, Neil, but it didn't sound happy. It sounded despaired, lonely.

Kakashi withheld the need to sigh again as he quickly went through to his bedroom, well _their_ bedroom now and lay Jenny out on the bed, her blue hair fanning out in her twin ponytails, shimming in the dusk light, one from the glow of her skin increasing once under his touch, the other from the decreasing natural light.

Kakashi had to rush because he had said to Sakura that he was in the toilet when actually he was making sure that Jenny got home okay. He just didn't take into account how far the actual distance was when Jenny was dead tired and stumbling drunkenly like she had drunk more than the half pint of watered down beer.

Slipping off her flats, Kakashi then rearranged Jenny's floppy limbs into the comfortable ball she seemed to roll into when she slept and pulled the covers over her shoulders and tucked her in.

Kakashi looked down at his handy work, considering her body in its almost comfortable clothes.

What was she doing with the Uchiha? Why was she smoking with him?

Or better yet, when did she start smoking?

Kakashi shook his head; he needed to get her to quit, extremely bad for the health. How troublesome.

He also knew what Sasuke was up to. Now that Kakashi had Sakura, he wanted to take Jenny away from Kakashi too.

The grey haired man's brow furrowed as he thought that over again. Take Jenny away from him? She didn't belong to him. She had no obligation to go where ever he asked her to.

But the world seemed to narrow when he saw Jenny laughing, her hand supporting her face as she looked alive for once. Something she hadn't for that entire week. Not even around Kakashi.

That was an ugly thought, but then Kakashi got distracted by a blue strand of her hair that had caught on Jenny's pouty lip, barely moving with her soft breaths.

Did that mean that Jenny was prowling for new meat and it just so happened to be Sasuke? Or did she really like him now that he had done something different to change her opinion?

That strand of hair was still there.

Telling himself that the only reason he was combing it away from her face was because it was annoying him. As he did so, he stroked the soft mango smelling hair away from her face to expose the fluttering light that was emanating from her skin and like a moth to a flame, he was caught leaning in.

Just for reassurance sake, he placed his face extra close so he felt each breath being drawn in and exhaled. He smelled the trace of bitter smoke yet it didn't detract from her appeal right then.

His mouth was ever so close to hers and if he just leant in-

Jerking back, Kakashi shook his head to try and rid himself of those thoughts. He had Sakura now. He wouldn't mess that up. In theory.

Looking back down at the Kingfisher feather hair below him, Kakashi felt himself being drawn in again and satisfied his curiosity by pressing his lips to her forehead.

Little did he know that there was a dark body outside the window that had direct line of sight to the bed and to Jenny.

…o0o…

This is probably going to be the last update until the 23rd of January because of my mocks. However, we never know when procrastination might hit and result in an unsuspecting chapter.

Hope you all had a good Christmas and a happy new year!


	13. A Much Needed Break

A Much Needed Break

**Just for reassurance sake, he placed his face extra close so he felt each breath being drawn in and exhaled. He smelled the trace of bitter smoke yet it didn't detract from her appeal right then.**

**His mouth was ever so close to hers and if he just leant in-**

**Jerking back, Kakashi shook his head to try and rid himself of those thoughts. He had Sakura now. He wouldn't mess that up. In theory.**

**Looking back down at the Kingfisher feather hair below him, Kakashi felt himself being drawn in again and satisfied his curiosity by pressing his lips to her forehead.**

**Little did he know that there was a dark body outside the window that had direct line of sight to the bed and to Jenny.**

…o0o…

I woke up that morning with a yawn and a squealing stretch, leading me to roll over around the spacious bed. I gave a happy little sigh as I blinked my eyes open into the bright sunlight.

_No nightmares whatsoever. This was going to be a good day_. I looked over at the empty side of the bed that was barely rumpled by another human being.

Kakashi must have not come home last night. I felt a little bite of some emotion in my chest but rather than reminisce on it, I opted to look away at the other side of the clock where, when I saw the time, sent my stomach pooling by my feet as I wrenched myself up, prepared to make a dash to work. But then my eyes squinted harder at the day on the display and I flopped back down on the bed with a bounce.

Ah, the bliss of no work on a day off.

While I loved myself a little bit of baking, forcing myself to do it _every day_, well… it was beyond exhausting.

But the thought of my day off made me so supremely happy, I hummed as I untucked myself from my sleeping space and I even skipped to the kitchen to make myself a divine and time consuming breakfast. Turning into the kitchen, I put the kettle on and settled to wait for it to boil, hopping onto the counter next to it, thinking of what breakfast I should celebrate my break with.

In the silence underneath the bubbling kettle, I also felt the realisation that I couldn't remember how I got in the night before. I knew I was exhausted beyond belief, so that could explain why I was still in my clothes the night before but not so much how I got through the door. I shifted on the counter space.

I winced as when I moved, I discovered my waist was aching from having my bra on overnight. Reaching behind me, I unclipped the strap and pulled the bra out of the tight sleeves, oblivious to the fact that I was standing in front of the window, where anybody could see me.

Sighing with relief, I was just in time for the kettle to switch off and pour myself a cup of tea. Tipping in a splash of milk and no sugar, I blew across the top to cool it as I took a measured sip. I felt a thought that I hadn't even considered before:

What was I even going to _do_ that day?

I pushed myself from the table to walk across to the window opposite me where I looked at the clouds speculatively.

It was cloudy, but the sun continued to beam from behind the fluffy apparitions and even in Kakashi's flat, it was beginning to get sweltering, that I had to brush the layer of sweat that had begun to teem out of the pores on my forehead.

It would probably be pretty lazy if I didn't get ready for the day, I thought taking another unhurried sip of my tea, looking down at my clothes.

But what if I just got back into my jimmies?

Glancing back out of the window, I saw a little yellow ray pulsing onto nearby roof. It would be a shame if I didn't go out though right?

I resolved myself to having a shower and some breakfast before I did anything though.

As I leisurely made my way to the bathroom, I peeled off my different layers of clothes, chucking them further down the hallway to the bedroom. Uncaring of the fact that window was clear in the bathroom, I didn't feel the need to worry since it seemed that the guy who caught me that other day appeared to reside in his flat during the day and was probably sleeping.

There was a small alley way separating the motel like flat blocks so other than the guy above him and below him but they had their curtains still crossed. No one was getting a peek at me. Well, at least not to my knowledge.

Switching the knob on the water, the transparent liquid began to drip out before pushing out in full force so when I stepped into the small cubicle and began to rub the grease out of my hair vigorously, it was shooting strong jets to parade against my back.

Taking my time in the shower, I allowed the water to sluice down my body in little rivulets, long after the water had stopped, just enjoying the feeling of washing the grime and negative emotions from the day before.

I did hate being angry all the time. It was just a thing that was made worse when I could've sworn that the people that day were doing it deliberately.

With a sigh, I finally forced myself to move out of the shower and into the misty room. I was tempted to walk to the bedroom naked because I couldn't be bothered to put the towel on then. However, I was slightly wary of all the ninja friends that Kakashi had who could probably walk just as quietly as he could.

Towelling myself dry, I pulled out another pair of the criss cross shorts and a khaki vest top, feeling the humidity begin to seep through my skin as soon as I put them on.

Maybe it was going to rain.

Finally, after doing nothing of importance for an hour, I ventured outside to find a nice park to read in. I even covered the title of the smutty book for the more prudish people in the backwater village.

But it was times like these that I had wished I was back in London, or more specifically, London underground. Just the sounds but more importantly, the people, where everyone was so busy that they noted if you were reading something like Fifty Shades of Grey (not that I would reduce myself to the grammatical ridden copyright), people would judge you for possibly half a second before realising they had to get off at that stop and would leave, forgetting that you ever existed.

So deep in my thoughts, I was about half way through the shopping district, having already passed the market, when the sky started to cry. It was only a couple of drops to not have me worried, however when it began to pour, I was a little more bothered as my top was slowly getting drenched. And when I say pour I meant _pour_.

It was verging on painful if I had to stay out there a minute longer.

Finally following those who had wisely ran for cover when the first few drops came, I ducked into what looked like a second hand shop.

Wagging my head wildly like a dog, I sprayed droplets in the surrounding doorway, leaving the only casualty the carpet beneath my feet. I heaved a sigh of relief as I inspected my surroundings.

It smelt like every charity shop I have ever been in: musty, a hint of perfume and hay.

I frowned. Why does it always smell like hay?

I shook my head again to rid myself of the thoughts to step further into the shop. Yet I had barely moved away from the entry way when a bloke tumbled in after me, dripping more water than his body seemed able to hold, much alike my own.

Shooting him a conspirator's grin, I headed into the shop.

There was a niggling sense that I had seen the man before, but when I tried to inspect him surreptitiously he was never looking my way. I shook myself off; I was just being silly, paranoid.

To pass the time for when the rain had to eventually wane off, I examined the clothes on the racks and the random objects that dotted the random, rarely dusted plastic, cream shelves then decided to head deeper into the poorly lit store.

Thumbing through a couple of worn copies on what looked to be adventure novels, it was when my eyes, bored, looked to the unused corner and saw it: a blue Paddington Bear rubber coat.

I almost squealed with excitement as I dashed to the other side of the shop, picking it off the rail. I looked to the label, daring it to be too good to be true but this time couldn't stop the little fist clench of victory when I saw that it was my size.

Or, well, near enough.

Heading over to the other wall where I saw the shoes, I prayed to God for there to be some matching Wellington boots.

To my delight and surprise, they were and I couldn't restrain the little victory jig that I probably should have restrained until I was in the comfort of my own home, but it was just so exciting. I eagerly glanced around to peruse the rest of the shop before I paid, to ensure that I hadn't just missed anything when I saw that man again.

He turned his head sharply, alerting me to the fact that he was looking my direction. I frowned.

Was I really just being really paranoid?

However much I tried to deny it, I was spooked and quickly re-gathered my items which had slipped in my arms to head to pay right in the corner of the shop.

But as I was walking past what looked to be a paper section, almost like a post office, I saw a beautiful, brown leather mock-crocodile notebook. Reverently, I picked it up, trying to wedge the coat and the awkward boots under one arm so I could observe the notebook further.

Opening it, other than the first couple of pages slightly tattered, it was in mint condition. I chewed my lip thoughtfully, rubbing the wetness off of one of my arms.

In all the tv shows I have ever watched, those suffering from PTS seem to have nightmares like me. And didn't the silent, suffering type have a journal? To write all of his creepy little dreams and supposedly made him feel better? Shrugging, I put the journal in my pile after checking the price tag. A little experiment couldn't hurt.

Going up to the cashier, I paid for them with my new allowance from Ino before snapping off the labels and buttoning up my new rubber coat around my shivering wet body.

I beamed as I placed my book, wet shoes and purse back into my bag, pushing it over my shoulder and walked to the door, passing the dark haired man. Pushing the door open, I braced myself for the torrent of rain where just one step out into the elements, it felt like I had stepped out under a waterfall, the water heavily pushing down on my head before I brought my hood up to protect me.

I looked at my surroundings where I spied more than a few people still ducked under over hangs until the water died down.

Shrugging, I didn't see the point in not doing what I originally planned, other than reading in the sunlight, I made my way to where I thought the parks would be. Skipping and jumping in puddles on the way, I passed those few who had brought umbrellas with them, give me ugly looks like I wasn't supposed to enjoy the rain.

I have always loved it. Not the whole part where the water messes up my hair into a frizz, more like I loved the feel of it hitting my coat as I knew that it would never get through. Then I would revel in the resulting feel of victory that would flood through me, alike the water in the rivers overflowing their beds.

As a length of time past, I passed the shopping district, where I think it began to head towards the residential. Pausing, I took in my surroundings trying to look for signs in the barely visible conditions but instead, I saw what looked to be a lot of stairs leading upwards to the faces carved in the rock.

Seeing the faces, I wanted to roll my eyes at the gaudy art. Who would want their face in a rock? The erosion would sooner wear your face away leaving you uglier than you were in real life.

I scrutinised every angle of the art on the rock through the sheets of rain that continued reduced the visibility the longer I dawdled. The artist himself or herself wasn't too bad though.

Getting over my critique with a shrug of my shoulders, I set to climbing the slippery steps.

In comparison to the stairs both leading to Ino's apartment and the ones heading up the Kakashi's flat, these were well maintained, following health and safety measures with a vigour. It even had a proper hand rail, I noted with a surprised brow.

Finally, reaching the top after what felt like climbing Mt. Snowdon, I panted as I took in the view of the abandoned bench leading the person to see all of Konoha in all of its wet glory.

I gave a sigh. It was any artist's wet dream.

Despite the grey overcast, the lush greenery continued to glow phosphorescent. While some of the buildings were dilapidated, the others also shone in bright white.

I gave a little sigh of appreciation, heading to the bench which was dripping with excess water was blocked from accessing my skin from the rubber skin which carried down almost to my knees.

I just sat there, despite the water dripping off my hood, just staring at the scenery. I had nowhere to be, I had nothing to do, why couldn't I just sit there for an inordinate amount of time?

And it must have been an inordinate amount of time because the sky had just begun to lessen its tears, the chill may have permeated my coat, not letting in the water mind, there also was a puddle in one of my boots that I had only realised why the boots themselves were in a charity shop.

That and the fact that even Kakashi had come looking for me.

You knew it was late when the tardy pervert came searching for you.

Kakashi propped himself in a tree just in my line of vision but far enough under the canopy that he wouldn't get too wet even by the light drops that were littering the ground here and there.

"How did you find me?" I asked finally after it seemed Kakashi seemed content to say nothing while also appearing to want to say everything.

"Oh, were you hiding?" Kakashi replied back good naturedly. "You obviously weren't trying hard enough."

I smiled at the dry humour, deciding if he wanted to evade my questions, I would evade his.

The battle of wills continued for at least five minutes before I broke.

"I went for a walk," I said, lowering my hood after what was probably an hour of torrential rain, shaking my two dry ponytails out.

"I can see that," Kakashi said as dryly as the first time I had decided to speak.

I snorted before getting up, squelching my way to the steps again.

"So why out of the entire list of reasons that you decided to go when it was pouring with rain?" Kakashi followed me, tucking his book protectively in his pouch to stop the water damaging the edges.

"The free water?" I said helpfully with a small smirk, trying to walk quicker. I didn't have a reason why I was out there and for some reason the little leather book I had in my bag was starting to pointedly pulse imaginatively.

It wasn't like I was doing anything wrong but I didn't want to tell him about the dreams. They were weak and I could already feel my cheeks reddening in embarrassment at the thought of telling him.

Who gets scared of their body not moving? I frowned. Well, when I put it like that, it didn't seem such a bad thing to be scared of. At least it wasn't arachibutyrophobia. The fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth is real.

I was brought out of my thoughts when I realised there was a deep thrumming in the background and then concluded that it was Kakashi's voice.

"If that was the case where have you put the collected water?" he asked pointed, pushing his hands into his pockets, hunching his shoulders further against the cool breeze that pressed harder against our bodies with the height we were at.

"Obviously, I have drunk it," I gave a cheeky grin, not letting him know what I was thinking, which was that his shirt, in the little amount of water that had gathered, meant that his already tight shirt began to be skin tight.

He would win at a wet t-shirt contest every time. A little part of me practically drooled in appreciation.

Kakashi, unaware of my lewd thoughts, just gave me a look to say he wasn't amused by my use of dry humour against him.

I quickly averted my attention to the steps which seemed to be running a little stream from the steps above them obviously, showing the water overflowed and filtered to drain down the stairs. My feet kept slipping dangerously that had me holding a hand to the side of the wall.

We continued to walk down the steps in silence as the rain kept dripping and patting down on our heads. Maybe I shouldn't have lowered my hood, but it was too late now. I couldn't back down.

Kakashi sighed when he saw me slip once more and catch myself before, without warning may I add, scooped me up and layered my body across his shoulders like a shawl and continued to walk down.

I gasped, the flood of energy that was filling my sternum, making me feel like I had an overdose on caffeine and adrenaline. My eyes sharpened as the focused on the now vivid colours that were surrounding us.

I took a deep breath to try and steady my nerves but inhaled the sweet and piercing scent of Kakashi, spearmint and tea tree.

I held my skull back defiantly, to stop my head from leaning in to bury my face in his hair, where the source of this aroma was coming from.

Instead, I let out an outraged squawk.

"Kakashi! Put me down this instant!"

All I got was a chuckle but no movement to remove me from his shoulders, other than continuing down the stairs.

"But I need a cover to protect me from the rain too. We can't all have fancy rubber coats," Kakashi said, his movement down bouncing me up and down gently.

I scowled, despite the feelings returning to the tips of my fingers after many a grab of the rough walls, I hated the smug tone.

"You just want to show off your masculinity. Obviously not at all secure in our sexuality are we?" I muttered, what I thought was under my bitter breath.

But it was blatantly not as Kakashi went down a stair particularly hard, causing my hip to dig painfully into his shoulder blade, in turn poked hard into my stomach and my breasts were squished cruelly.

I gave a little whine of discomfort before Kakashi said:

"I am most confident in my sexuality thank you."

I rolled my eyes, knowing that he wouldn't be able to see it.

"Gay people can have girlfriends before realising their true desire lies with men, you know," I pointed out to him.

There was another particularly jarring step.

"Whoopsies, sorry my foot slipped," Kakashi sounded so apologetic that I would have believed he was telling the truth had he not done the horrible move after an insulting comment from me.

"It would be a lot less painful if you let me down to walk on my own two legs, you know the ones that are sticking out and down from my hips," I pointed out again.

"I think someone is being particularly nasty today," he said, his voice holding no inflection other than smug humour that he was getting to me.

"I think someone is being particularly annoying today," I grumbled, tired of this game already.

Kakashi gave a mock gasp.

"Me? Annoying? Never!"

"Yeah, I know, would've thought when pigs fly, right?" I responded sarcastically.

Kakashi shook his head, unknowingly wafting his enticing smell towards me and the energy that was pumping through my chest, migrated a little lower.

"As much as I enjoy this witty repartee, I think you'll sooner hurt my feelings than soothe them," He said. "Better put some honey on your tongue; it'll soothe the bristles."

I huffed out another breath but all my blood was rushing to my head and I was feeling a bit woozy.

"But seriously can you put me on my feet, I think I'm going to be sick," feeling Kakashi crouching so my feet were placed on blissful ground again, my head reoriented.

But unlike what I thought where I would be allowed to walk on my own feet, Kakashi quickly bent, pushing his forearm under my knees causing me to fall back with a screech but was saved by the other arm supporting my back.

I grabbed his neck with a frenzied movement, clenching my eyes shut.

"Fuck!"

Kakashi tutted.

"Would you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Kakashi teased as we finally finished the steps and began our trek through the town.

I just scowled up and him before I rested my head tiredly against his chest, unable to find the time to complain, just allowing Kakashi to sweep me away with his tsunami.

…o0o…

Where he thought having Jenny on his back was hard, Kakashi thought that at least having her in front of him, her breasts not touching any part of him would be easier. But he was wrong. Oh, so wrong.

While she clenched her eyes shut, her arms wrapped tightly around his throat like a garrotte, it inadvertently pushed her breasts together, making her cleavage more pronounced through that teasing little gap between her zips.

And just like a garrotte, she was cutting off his air way with tension and was slowly killing him.

"What is your deal with carrying me everywhere?" she moaned, her eyes scrunched in fear.

Kakashi gave a chuckle.

"Because I get this reaction every time," he gave a knowing eye crinkle down to the peacock plume haired girl when she opened her eye tentatively.

"What? A normal reaction?" she responded cuttingly, looking hesitantly down at the ground before re-tucking her head protectively under his chin. "Please, find in the corners of your dark heart, let me down; I'm too heavy, you're going to drop me."

Kakashi snorted and pretended to loosen his arms causing Jenny to squeal in horror, tightening her already choking hold on his neck.

Grinning under his mask, Kakashi just recaptured his hold on her body reassuringly.

"You are a massive dick," she mumbled into his throat, unaware of the effect the little vibrations against his skin, had on his nervous system.

"Have," Kakashi mock corrected, pinching Jenny's side teasingly.

She squirmed, batting his chest lightly before quickly reclaiming her hold on his neck.

"Be serious," Jenny looked down at his wet chest which was uncomfortably cold, tracing unknown patterns.

"Aren't I always?" Teasingly letting her slip again.

"Kakashi!"

He chuckled, readjusting his grip which made Jenny tighten her arms in panic.

"Stop doing that!"

Kakashi feigned ignorance.

"Why, I don't know what you mean?" he mused, pretending to bend down to get something.

This was when Jenny proceeded to climb him like a tree.

"Stop doing that or I swear to God I am never going to make you anything every again, wash your clothes, clean your kitchen or-"

Just wanting the rant to stop, Kakashi let one of his arms go so it would place Jenny's feet on the floor.

Leaving them both standing impossibly close, her arms snug around his neck. The rain had abated, giving way to a drizzle that still had Konoha's inhabitants hiding in their homes.

"That would be a crime of most epic proportions," Kakashi said in a low voice, one arm was on her waist the other resting on her shoulder.

In this embrace, he didn't think about all the messy feelings Sakura inspired: lust, friendship, anger, betrayal.

Jenny just seemed to ooze light. Literally. But she also made every bad thing that seemed to happen, appear insignificant.

Kakashi felt her shiver but he couldn't decide whether it was from the chill of the drizzle making its way between the coat flaps and down her neck or from an attraction. From his viewpoint, he could see the way her mouth fell slightly open and he could feel the quickened breath on his face.

For a moment, for a split second, Kakashi contemplated leaning in, consequences be damned. Catching himself, his eyes widened and swiftly stepped away forcing Jenny to stumble after him, her face flushed as she caught her body averting her gaze.

And there they stood. Both trying to look like they weren't _not_ looking at the other.

"So, um," Jenny actually awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck. She was getting more and more like him. "I have this new raspberry and coconut muffin recipe I want to try but I need to go buy a muffin tray at the store." She began to wring her coat further down her arms in an attempt to bring them to cover her hands as she continued albeit in a quieter voice. "Y-you want to come with me? I promise I will let you lick the bowl as penance for being so horrible to you?"

She gave a beam, to try and cover up the awkwardness that had set into their bones like the cold from the rain.

Kakashi mirrored her blasé attitude, pretending like she was. That he didn't see or want the same thing she did in that heated minute.

He nodded and followed her through the shops in some kind of façade. Sure he was laughing good naturedly at the few jokes that Jenny was cracking, that he was making the sarcastic, dry humour like usual old himself but underneath it was an entirely different issue.

Inside it was endless questions with an unending line of unanswered even as they walked home.

He loved Sakura didn't he? That was what all the fuss was about trying to get her to go with him exclusively. Wasn't it?

But then, what was it with Jenny? He felt a possessive element that wasn't strictly platonic, a roommate looking out for his female counterpart.

But then what was that happy feeling he felt with her? Did he feel it with Sakura?

He owed it to Sakura to see it through…

…Didn't he?

He was pulled from his musings when he had unconsciously followed Jenny into the bathroom where he noted with some irony, was the place of all their social interactions.

She turned around with a confused little smile.

"You going to take a shower too?" she asked, her eyes squinting at him.

Kakashi shrugged, going to sit on the toilet seat taking out his novel that he had no intention of reading.

"I think I'll wait and see."

While his head was buried supposedly in his book, Jenny thought that he couldn't see her smile, the one that brought out the tiniest, smallest dimple in her right cheek. The one he noticed was coming out a lot when Jenny didn't realise she was doing it.

Turning her back on him, Jenny pulled her top over her head and Kakashi tried to concentrate very hard on the blurring lines in front of him but from the sign of each curve being exposed, it was very difficult.

He soon gave it up altogether when her bra was exposed and he saw that it was a dark purple lace set and then her fingers nimble as they were unsnapped the clasp with a small, but very loud click. Extending her arm to the side, she let the garment drop.

But all Kakashi could see was the straight line that was his roommate's spine that led to some very tight shorts which Kakashi knew from the fact he saw no visible lines, that she had to be wearing a thong or nothing at all.

The thought was very hot indeed as Kakashi, after years of being nulled to anything to do with sex other than the act itself, was aroused.

Dismayed, he rapidly stood from the seat alerting Jenny to his presence again who hurriedly covered her chest as she looked over her shoulder at him, her eye brow raised.

"I'm going to find a cat," Kakashi said, offering no further explanation other than walking out of the bathroom.

Striding down his small corridor he went into the door on the right that as far as he knew, Jenny hadn't been in there. Inhaling deeply and as far as his nose could tell, she hadn't ventured in there yet.

He placed his book tenderly in his pouch and unwrapped the slightly damp wrappings from his legs where he rearranged them tightly, binding his wrists. Removing his already wet top, he laid it over the metal stool he kept in the corner for some unknown reasons. Readjusting his secondary mask to make it breathable, he began to bounce on the balls of his feet, facing his new foe: the double weighted punching bag.

The first thump felt good. It felt _really_ good.

He did it again but with his left. Then again.

And again.

And again.

The force against his muscles, the demand on his body that was sluggishly slackening down until he wasn't faster than the genin in the academy with each passing year. It felt _good_.

Well, maybe he was not _that_ slow, but as far as the famous Copy Nin was concerned, it was a degree slower than he was comfortable with. He didn't know how long he was in there but all his thoughts could revolve around was the sight of the bag and how best to conquer the imaginary opponent with his pounding fists.

His breaths, his chest, his uppercut, lower, gut shot, bring a leg into that, push them back, elbow jab, duck under an invisible swing, dodge a punch, jab, quicker now, quicker, quicker, quicker, _quick_-

"Well now, this is cool," his roommates warm voice flooded all over his sweaty skin, almost causing it to flame again as he thought about that unmarred back before leading to that scar that just _kissed_-

Down boy.

Kakashi just rested his head on the black leather bag, before under the scent current of talcum powder, sweat and socks he could smell the sweet sugar of-

"Raspberry and coconut muffins as promised." Jenny teased, not actually making her way into the room, "Although I need someone to tell me what they think," While not looking at her, Kakashi could still hear the excitement in her voice, a slight bit of anxiety at the thought of someone trying her food.

Smirking, Kakashi thought: Easy as reading a book.

Smoothing his face into a look of neutrality, he looked down at what he knew was going to be a delightful dessert.

"The coconuts are going to be expensive to import constantly," he commented, his voice offering no optimism nor criticism; impartial.

But then seeing the almost visible dog ears drooping and the tail beginning to tuck between her legs, Kakashi rushed on.

"But I think they would be well worth it with the smell I'm getting," he hurriedly added, before making his way over to her, unwrapping the wet bandages from his wrists.

Perking up instantly, Jenny held out her tray.

"Sorry if they are a bit dry, I knew I shouldn't have kept them in so long in the oven, but I was at this really good bit in the book you lent me and-"

Not even thinking about it nor the consequences, Kakashi lay his finger directly on Jenny's moving mouth, triggering her to stop mid speech, her mouth part of the way open, breath hot against his already feverish skin.

Kakashi, pretending (again) that he didn't notice anything amiss, grabbed one of the muffins on the tray, turning around, he lowered his mask and took a bite out of what had to be heaven.

Containing the moan that was threatening to come out he paused, allowing for dramatic effect which he could tell wasn't appreciated by Jenny as she impatiently shifted from foot to foot.

"Well?" she finally demanded impatiently.

Kakashi paused some more, just revelling in this slight power that he held over another person.

"They're alright," he said blandly turning back to Jenny who seemed to have deflated. "They'll do."

"I don't want them to just 'do'," she said irritably, her brow furrowing causing a little bar to come up between her eyebrows.

Moving a finger that was resting contemplatively on his covered lips, to rest in between the brows that kept moving in irate tension.

"Firefly, I was joking," Kakashi said giving a comforting eye crinkle.

Jenny huffed, trying to move her face away from his which both he and her realised were closer than what was deemed acceptable in their social circumstance. But in that moment of touch, Kakashi felt Jenny leaning closer to his calloused finger pad.

"Your jokes aren't funny," Jenny tried to mutter bitterly but the small crooked smile that Kakashi only saw her give him, was layered on her mouth.

"My jokes are hilarious," Kakashi corrected, turning to pick up what he assumed to be dry top to slide over his smelly body.

Jenny scoffed, but left the topic alone as she slowly walked around the room.

He tried to see what she saw in his workout room which had become Kakashi's place of sanctuary where Jenny had taken over the entire flat.

Grimy, thin windows gave little horizontal slits at the very top of the walls when you first come in. The walls, a washed out white with streaks of black from the movement of one object or another. There was that unneeded stool in the corner, a bench with his weights resting on the bar above it. They were particularly large weights so he assumed that it would show his masculine prowess.

Jenny nodded, as if she had resolved some question in her mind before giving Kakashi a smile and a little wave, readjusting her grip on the muffin tray in her hands.

"Well, I'm going to be reading my book in the other room if you need me," she said unnecessarily, one flour covered hand pushing back a blue fringe that was pushing into her face before turning to leave the room.

"What are we having for dinner?" Kakashi asked suddenly, unsure why he did. He could have asked the question later yet decided that he needed the answer now.

The girl turned around and gave a little shrug, a smile on her face.

"What are you feeling like?" Jenny, pushed one of her ponytails which was growing freakishly long despite only cutting it a few weeks ago.

Kakashi mirrored her shrug.

"Just wondering if you had anything tasty planned," he said brushing past the confused girl and the almost blunt answer after the possible starter for a conversation. "But I am going to go take a shower now."

"Do you want me to run you a bath?" she blurted loudly, almost causing the grey haired man to jump in surprise.

Well not almost. He was a ninja after all; he expects everything.

The frugal part of him yelled abuse towards the unknowing girl standing in front of him, but then the other, the one that spent an unknown amount of time beating a heavy black punching bag to death, whose muscles were sore, argued against it.

He wanted to open his mouth and reject the offer but a part was desperate to finally have someone take care of him, to take away the responsibility of looking after other people for so long.

In the end his head bobbed in acquiescence and followed Jenny as she went into the bathroom.

He leant against the doorway, his slightly damp skin tight, slightly suffocating against his sweaty body as he watch Jenny rummage among the bottom cupboards before she finally found what she was looking for and wasn't intentionally holding her derriere in the air, almost swaying as she was looking around in the bottom.

Holding up the bottle of ginseng and lemon, she straightened and looked like she was holding the best medal in the world.

"It's your favourite tea right?" Jenny beamed, her eyes squinting with how proud she looked.

Kakashi didn't have the hardest heart to deny her that look, where he might like the tea, it didn't mean he wanted to smell like it. But sadly, he was not strong enough to resist the adorable eyes.

He just nodded reluctantly, bringing a finger to itch a non-existent scratch by his clammy temple.

The pleasurable scent of the bubble bath started to diffuse through the bathroom and slowly began to fog up the window where, from Kakashi's viewpoint could see the pervert in the other flat building was preparing himself, thinking that it was Jenny who was going to strip.

Kakashi rolled his eyes heavenward; he could not _believe_ some people.

Jenny tested the temperature of the water with her hand, deeming the heat appropriate, not taking into account the heat that she was inspiring to the pervert across the alleyway. Where he was still preparing the tissues, she shook her hand free of the remaining water.

"Alright, I think it is done," Jenny said, brushing past him, "I'll start making dinner, I'm thinking of pork?"

Kakashi just gave a lazy wave to sign that he was fine with it before he slung his top over his shoulders.

While Jenny was a noticeable person with her personality, she was a bombshell with her chakra.

It seemed to overflow everything, suffusing into anything and everything, marking her as special to every ninja. This meant that he knew she hadn't left the room yet, nor had she realised her own chakra had flared when he began to remove his clothes.

Under the pretence that he was going to take off his mask, he waited to see what she would do. While his back was to her, he knew that he would be giving her a slight sight of his jaw and a peek at his nose. Ever so faintly he heard an intake of breath, Jenny's chakra was now erratic and Kakashi couldn't help but smirk in triumph that he could send a woman into this mess.

With Sakura it felt like it was forced, while it may have been true at one point or other, the spark was now lost, possibly doused until Kakashi figured out what he wanted.

Bending down, he began to pull his trousers down and that was when he heard the sprinting pads that signalled Jenny fleeing. Kakashi gave a small laugh before relaxing in the too full tub.

She lasted longer than he expected.

…o0o…

God, I needed to stop blushing like some freaking school girl!

Delicately testing a burning cheek with a clammy hand, I scowled as I wiped it on the cotton skirt that I had pulled on with a baggy t-shirt of mine.

Dying for something to do, I stirred a pot of boiling water in front of me. I didn't need to, but I felt like I needed some kind of distraction from the Adonis in the other room who unwittingly gave me a peep show that put all the male protagonists in his smutty books to shame.

To such shame.

The pooling heat in my belly was back and I wasn't sure if I could hold it back much longer. I needed something to fix it. And fast.

He was taken, I was single. He was highly sought after, I was… not. I needed to stop pining after him, completely twitterpated as Bambi would say.

It was getting embarrassing.

With the potatoes on the way, I sat by the table reading my book. If I could just concentrate on the heroine getting her brains fucked out, this would be so much better. But my mind kept wandering to a certain naked man in the other room.

What was he doing? Having his unruly hair wet as he dunks it under the water and flips it back with an ease of a model? What about soap? Was he lathering it slowly down his chest? The suds popping slowly as he stands up, rivulets begging to be licked off? What about-?

I shook my head firmly. I needed to stop.

Getting up again to check the uncooked meat that was sizzling in the grill, preparing to be fried, I heard a muffled call from Kakashi, a sentence that I didn't catch.

"What was that?" I yelled back, maintaining my vigil on the food. If his delicious body was out of my sight, maybe it could be out of my mind?

There was a moment of silence where I realised maybe he needed my help in the bathroom. The stirring of the boiling water slowed and I almost turned around when some arms just enclosed me against the counter. I gasped.

"I asked, when is dinner going to be ready?" his hot voice whispered in my ear, his hands clenching the counter beside me.

I squealed in surprise, dropping my wooden spoon into the boiling water, barely dodging the hot droplets by recoiling further into his front.

I tried to catch my breath as Kakashi reached passed me to the fruit bowl where my plums were nestled.

Turning to answer, I found my breath caught in my throat, my eye locked with his naked face that gave a crooked smile.

His face was so _naked_.

I almost wanted to shriek and cover my eyes like if a guy had suddenly just shown me his junk but I was struck speechless by his next move.

His hand reaching up to his face, placed the plum to his bare lips, his sparkling white teeth catching the purple flesh of the fruit and taking a bite.

I swallowed dryly, trying to wet my mouth and throat which were just aching to take some of the plum that he had eaten and replace it with my tongue.

I flushed at my thoughts and quickly turned back to maintaining my unneeded watch of the food.

"It will be done in about ten minutes," I croaked and inwardly flinched at the sign of weakness.

"Cool," Kakashi said, sounding like he was walking away, probably rubbing his seductive hair with that white towel as he went.

He was going to be the death of me.

…o0o…

Sorry for the long wait, I swear every time there are mocks the teachers just want to set you double the h/w the next week as they feel like they missed out on you misery. *sigh* woe is me.

And double sorry for the bad chapter, the writing _does_ become better but I just couldn't figure out how to improve this one :/


	14. Stalker

Stalker

**Turning to answer, I found my breath caught in my throat, my eye locked with his as his naked face gave a crooked smile, his hand reaching up to his face placing the plum to his bare lips, his sparkling white teeth catching the purple flesh of the fruit and taking a bite. **

**I swallowed dryly, trying to wet my mouth and throat which were just aching to take some of the plum that he had eaten and replace it with my tongue. **

**I flushed at my thoughts and quickly turned back to maintaining my unneeded watch of the food. **

"**It will be done in about ten minutes," I croaked and inwardly flinched at the sign of weakness. **

"**Cool," Kakashi said, sounding like he was walking away, probably rubbing his seductive hair with that white towel as he went. **

**He was going to be the death of me. **

…o0o…

My eyes snapped open, my chest heaving with my pants. It took me a moment to figure out where I was, trying to identify all the different objects in the room that wasn't my one back in London.

Looking over to my right I saw an empty bed, causing me to shoot straight up my eyes darting everywhere, a panic settling in my bones.

"Kakashi?" I called softly, knowing that the walls were too thin to shout through as I would probably wake up the other residents next door.

Softly sliding out of the bed, I padded to the door where I turned on the light just as I heard a door shutting.

"Kakashi?" I called again, walking quicker to the door only to see it was shut, the little knob on the chain used for locking the door, already looped.

I frowned, shaking off my silliness, I'm sure I just imagined it. Turning, I went into the kitchen where I perched on the top of my toes to grab a glass, there was a rustle and I pivoted hopefully thinking that Kakashi was there.

All that stood there was a dark empty doorway.

Spooked, I quickly filled my glass full of water and tried not to childishly sprint down the hallway to the bed room but I allowed myself to jog in loping paces until I finally tucked myself under the covers. Unfortunately, this was the time when my bladder decided that it would make itself known as the desire to relive myself became ever present.

I hesitated.

What would be worse, the possible empty hallway or the knowledge that Kakashi would know that it was me who had stained his mattress when I wet myself?

I quickly unfolded the duvet from my legs as I quickly leaped to the bathroom, turning on the cheap bulb with a spritely ping which I didn't think suited the deadly atmosphere.

Taking a look on the clock I realised I had about four hours until I needed to be awake for work and that during that time I shouldn't be scared of some flat that I had lived in for a little over a month.

Reassured, I washed my hands and walked back into the bed room albeit at a fast pace so I could get to my safe, warm haven again. I resettled myself before I brought out the journal from beneath the mattress and smoothed out a new page and clicked the nib of my pen out.

I pressed the ink into the page

_Not sure of the date, but just had another dream. _

I paused, thinking at the cringey sentence but I calmed down when I realised that no one was going to read it other than me so pressed on with my short sentences.

_It was the same as all the other nights. My body felt bound, everything felt forced. Beeping in the background in addition to the whirry noise. I couldn't smell anything. Chest felt tight. _

_Although this dream was different, this time I could have sworn one of my fingers moved where in the others, I could barely move at all. _

_I have changed my diet thinking the nightmares could be staved that way bu-_

My pen scrawled across the page when I heard a slam, my eyes wide, trying to take everything in the dark room. Swallowing thickly, my chest throbbed with the heart that was fighting its way out of my chest, my armpits were sticky with sweat.

Placing my diary beside me, I found a rustle which startled me further. Inspecting the cheap, thin white paper, I saw there was a scrawl and what I saw made my fastly beating blood, run to a standstill in my body.

_Jenny, _

_Gone to Sakura's. Don't wait up._

_Kakashi._

I looked to the corridor where I thought I heard something slamming. And I knew it wasn't my imagination.

What did I do? Did I try and go to sleep and hope that they didn't come in here? Or did I go and try and feebly defend myself?

I hunted around the room, looking for something that would at least knock the intruder out. If there even saw one.

And if there was, they were, by then, already listening to my uneven breathing that was betraying me, showing my panic. My hands were shakey when I finally decided to unplug the standing light in the corner of the room and much to my surprise, I found the wire cut off already.

Examining the coppery insides of the wire I saw that must have been cut with a knife and looking up, under the shade, I saw that it had no light bulb in the first place. I frowned.

Has Kakashi used this in terms of defence before? I thought about how he had still kept the broken sofa back in the living room, yet he was slowly getting rid of it, piece by piece and was supposed to go shopping today to get a replacement.

Yet this lamp was dusty, like it had been there for years. So why did Kakashi keep it?

There was a creaking swing and I pivoted hastily, holding my lamp out like a spear, checking the room for threats.

It was empty.

Just the door swaying open, exposing more of the dark hallway.

Slowly I crept forward, my hand trembling on the shaft of the lamp, my feet slick with sweat, padding on the wooden floor as I approached the darkened doorway, my heartbeat creating tribal music for me and the intruder.

I swallowed past my dry mouth and throat, trying to breathe through my nose so it didn't come out in such breathy pants.

Nudging the open door further from the entry way, I looked down the dark corridor seeing a light on in the bathroom. A light that I switched off.

Steeling myself with what little nerves I had left, I charged down the hallway, before kicking the doorway of the bathroom clean open so it smacked the other side of the wall, my lamp ready to strike anyone who came at me.

But instead, there, the window was swaying gently in the breeze, a mournful creaking as the hinges were tested from not being open for as long as Kakashi had the place.

Terror and relief overwhelmed me so much so, that I slumped on the wall, my bottom on the radiator that was sticking out of the wall.

Terror that someone had been in, that they hadn't been Kakashi and I, relief as it looked like they were gone. I had dropped the lamp which clattered with malice against my brain that was exhausted from the adrenaline that my body had just been overwhelmed with.

But I realised I had to get my priorities in check and rushed over to the window, checking the alley way between the flats and saw there, on the corner, was a silhouette, a black shape standing there. Staring up at me.

My eyes wide, I slammed the window shut, heedless of the other flats surrounding us and how they would hear it.

Turning the lock with a satisfying snick, I hastily went through the flat, checking all the windows and doors for their locks to be safely turned over too. Satisfied, I turned to look at the clock in the living room and saw I still had three hours-worth of sleep if I wanted.

I looked back to the front door that seemed to loom in front of me and I hesitated.

Maybe it was better if I waited an hour before heading off to work, even though I would still be four hours early. Taking in the entire room I bit my lip in thought.

I resolved myself for leaving in an hour. It would give that person downstairs to leave (hopefully) and it would mean that I would get an early start on the baking, maybe distracting myself from what happened just then. I didn't even know what had just happened and I sure as hell wasn't going to tell Kakashi.

I mean, maybe I was being a little paranoid. Maybe the window, after not being used for so long was finally flung open by the wind as it couldn't hold its support? Or maybe Kakashi had tried to be quiet in sneaking in and out of the flat, not wanting to wake me but forgot to close the window after him?

Shuddering, I walked back into the bathroom cautiously and saw the window was still shut and with a surreptitious peek I saw the black body not standing on the corner anymore. I heaved a sigh of relief before removing my clothes to take a relaxing shower before heading to work in the rising morning light.

Little did I see that instead of being in the entrance on that side, there was a dark form on the other side.

* * *

_Going over to Sakura's_

_Kakashi_

I swallowed thickly, reading over the small note as if that would tell me he would be back quicker.

The person had already came in again. There was a plate sitting on the kitchen table, it wasn't mine and I knew that it wasn't Kakashi's.

The fear was now flooding through my veins.

I went for another early shower, leaving the curtain slightly open on both sides so I could spy on the window and the door.

* * *

_Don't wait up, I'm not coming back tonight_

_Kakashi_

My breathing quickened at the sign of another note and I felt some loneliness before I heard the creak of a floor board.

Eyes widening, I grabbed the lamp which I had made into a habit to lug around with me when I saw I was home alone. I knew it was garnering odd looks from Kakashi but my self-preservation was winning out.

Darting into the bedroom, the window was swaying with the breeze much alike the first time much to my terror and then I saw my knicker draw that I checked was closed, now gaping open, the previously folded clothes now rumpled with a man handling.

I held back a sob as I ran into the kitchen again, trying to convince myself that this wasn't happening.

* * *

"Alright, I'm heading out to Sakura's," Kakashi said, his hand already on the door knob to leave me in the house. Alone.

"Wait!" I called, running after him.

Closing the door again, Kakashi raised an eyebrow, his hand still on the door. "I know I have leftovers for me if I get back," he said in exasperation.

I blushed when he seemed to just guess what I was going to say.

"Well, I…"

"I really need to get going Jenny," Kakashi reopened the door and I couldn't hold back the small:

"Wait. Please." I stared pitifully at the floor.

I heard the click of the door and since my eyes weren't on him, I thought Kakashi had left me until I felt two hands under my jaw and lifted my face up, an invisible string from my head to my heart also raised it too.

"What's up, firefly?"

"I just," I hesitated. Did I tell him about the stranger? It was really freaking me out yet… something stopped me. I saw that Kakashi was just itching to leave to see Sakura, but I knew if I told him about the mysterious intruder, he wouldn't leave and then Sakura and I would fight even more, putting him in a bad position.

So I settled for the next best thing.

"Would you mind just checking the locks on all the windows and doors, some are rattling like they're, you know, not put in place properly," I finished lamely, my eyes refusing to look into his black eye, otherwise I knew I would be spilling my fear and worry everywhere.

Instead, I settled for his clavicle.

Nodding Kakashi, with me trailing like a puppy behind him, watched as he set seals and the locks on the doors much to my relief, feeling my shoulders weaken in happiness. I forgot that I was supposed to be keeping up a boundary between us and threw my arms around him.

Leaning up, I intended to place a kiss on his cheek, but he turned at the very last second causing our lips to meet.

I froze. Kakashi stilled.

My arms were still around his neck. His hands still rested at my waist.

Why wasn't he moving back? Why wasn't I?

I don't even think that it could be considered a kiss anymore. It was where lips had met and weren't moving in my opinion.

Finally, both of us pulled away with a gasp.

"Well, I got to-"

"Yeah, I have to-"

Neither of us finished our sentences, rather choosing to turn abruptly.

Me walking in the direction of the kitchen, Kakashi towards the door.

There was a small part of me that wished I had been more brave and pulled him down to convince him that he didn't love Sakura. But I knew I wouldn't do that.

The knowledge that I wouldn't didn't make it easier though when I rubbed my chest where my heart was clenching painfully.

…o0o…

My arm ached as I pushed it faster trying not to look nervous as I beat the mixture in the bowl but I thought the man sitting on the metal chair would know even without looking at me that I was anxious.

Admittedly my paranoia that morning had waned off and Kakashi had arrived at the café almost at midday where he had sat in complete silence after offering the traditional salutations, like he hadn't stunned me last night.

I still couldn't look at him without blushing.

It was just that mouth, that nose and that roguish _scar_ and the fact that I _kissed_ him and-

I cut my thoughts off, right there. I could feel a little bit of remaining desire pushing against the boundaries of lower stomach, my flush that hadn't left my face and ears for the entire time he was there had moved lower.

I just couldn't stop thinking about his face!

Which was stupid as it was just a face, it shouldn't have sent me into the quivering mess that it did last night before bed.

"Jenny, are you alright?" His voice broke into my thoughts, causing me to startle and almost drop the bowl but caught it in the nick of time.

"Y-yeah," I stuttered, my voice wavering traitorously, "I'm just a little tired is all." I sent him a sneaky look over my shoulder. "So how was it at Sakura's?"

Kakashi looked at me drolly.

"How it always is when you have a girlfriend to go to in the middle of the night," he said with an eye roll before turning a page of his book.

"Oh, okay," I tried not to sound disappointed. It wasn't his job to stay and look after me when I was feeling silly.

"So who did you have around last night?" Kakashi asked, his voice betraying nothing yet when I looked over my shoulder I saw his eye staring at me, almost coldly.

I swallowed, my fear becoming known as my heartbeat began to tattoo the pulse at my neck. Turning my face away from his again, I stirred the gloop in the bowl a little slower, stalling for time.

So I _didn't_ imagine someone was there. The thought was scary enough.

My mouth opened to say no one yet:

"Are you staying over Sakura's tonight as well?" I asked, trying to not let any fear that if he said yes I was going to collapse on the floor in a heap.

I felt a void of sound where Kakashi was sitting from where he had gone still.

"Perhaps, I might go for a little while," he conceded eventually when he realised that I wasn't going to break in the sign of the awkwardness.

I barely nodded, my hands were shaking so much. I tried to swallow my tears down but I couldn't hold back the shaky breath that shuddered out of my body.

"That's cool, I'll just have a quiet night in," I said softly, knowing that if I spoke any louder, Kakashi would hear the tremble in my voice.

I don't know why I was so averse to telling him that I was afraid that a man had come in last night and might again tonight. Maybe I was wrong? Like maybe there had been no man and Kakashi was just imagining it?

But then again he had the most sensitive nose out there.

I sighed and rubbed the frustration out of my tense neck before turning to try and get a baking tray yet I hadn't heard Kakashi move and he was suddenly behind me.

In my tense state I did the only thing possible: I screamed.

Dropping the plastic bowl, I stumbled back a step so I hit the floured table, my hand slipped on the buttery edge and I plummeted towards the floor where my hand was already reached out and was going to snap. I knew it was.

I felt an arm cradle my body, almost cracking my neck with the force of the save. However, he wasn't smooth enough to hold me stably without a few wobbles so he gave into gravity and allowed him to collapse on his side, me supported against his chest.

I panted despite the adrenaline was too little too late, my hand was softly caressing his skin tight and I could feel the heat radiating out from his chest and to not alarm the man beneath me, I allowed my face to lie on him, listening.

And there it was.

Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

A heartbeat, solid and definite. Everything about him radiating safety from his touch.

Swallowing, I realised our position and was just pushing myself up when Sakura came in talking.

"Yeah, I'll just come in and nab him Pig-" she cut off, seeing the position both me and her boyfriend were lying in.

Blushing, I quickly tried to push myself up faster yet, the man beneath me sat up, sending me sprawling on his legs, trapping him to the ground and leaving me to flash my knickers straight at him. Unfortunately, it wasn't the day when I decided to wear granny knickers. Oh no, fate couldn't be so kind.

It had to be the day when I was probably wearing my most risqué knickers that I had ever owned and were a thin lace that Kakashi could probably have seen straight through.

Looking back on it, I did _not_ know why I thought that day of _all_ days that would ever be a good idea but I had made my bed, now I had to lie in it.

But as it turns out, Kakashi's legs as a bed weren't all that comfortable and any suspicions Sakura would have held about me and him sleeping together, well this false evidence would suggest so.

Tumbling to the side, I futilely tried to crawl over to the frozen pinkette quickly, my legs refusing to support me as I kept falling forward awkwardly, my legs as graceful and coordinated as a new born giraffe.

"Wait that wasn't what it looked like at all," I fumbled to say as I finally had a burst of genius to use the table beside me to pull myself up instead.

"And what did it look like?" she asked her handing fisting on her hips, her face turning an awful shade of red which was making me rethink my plan of trying to walk up to her and explain. Circling the table to make it appear like I hadn't just realised that Sakura was a full blown kunoichi and was just going to clean that small patch of flour on the table.

"It uh looked bad I know," I mumbled to my hands, my eyes wanting to look everywhere but at Sakura but I knew I had to gauge my pain threshold and what it could withstand from the glare she was giving me.

"No shit it looked bad," she snarled and there was Kakashi, just propping himself on his elbow his eye wide, still looking forward where my crotch would have been.

Smacking myself in the forehead with a palm I waved my hands angrily over at where he was still acting like a mentally deficient vegetable.

"Look at him!" I shouted exasperatedly. "He is obviously in shock. If we _were_ going out, I'm pretty sure that he would be completely unfazed by the sight of," I stuttered over my words, not willing to say any language to do with _down_ _there_. "You know!"

I huffed out a breath, my ponytails falling over my chest and I couldn't help but feel a little pride that I sent the once unflappable Kakashi into a state of shock just from one look through my knickers but then I remembered the severity of the situation when I saw Sakura's metaphorical nails come out of her hands like Wolverine.

I held my hands up instantly.

She gave me a look of such contempt, I was surprised I wasn't covered in filth.

"Come on, we're going out for a drink," Sakura snarled under her breath at Kakashi.

I blinked, confused. Wasn't she going to be more angry? Where were the Deadly Moves of Death?

"Come on Jenny-san," she called out harshly.

Jumping to comply, I shut the kitchen door and began to strip quickly, not willing to lose them on the way to the pub.

I was basically in my underwear when I spotted the bowl on the floor still and miraculously still filled to the brim with baking mixture.

However, it seemed like my luck had run out for the rest of the day, because obviously Kakashi had recovered from his awakened comatose and was walking back in, his gloved hand still resting on the doorknob while I stood there, like a deer caught in the headlights in my matching black lace underwear.

Despite the mask, I still saw the movement of his jaw dropping.

I flushed before squealing and throwing my maid outfit at him.

"Ahhh get out pervert!" I screeched, ducking beneath the table trying to get out of his sight.

I knew the way the door hastily closed with a couple of bumps signalling his less than grateful departure.

Crawling desperately over to the screen in the corner, I grabbed my red skirt, and the low white cotton blouse, shoving them over my uncooperative body and slid my feet into the dirty, second hand tennis shoes (it was as close as I could get to Converse) before pushing my way out of the door where I saw the tense silence between Kakashi and Sakura.

Wincing, I saw that Ino was babbling incessantly next to them, ushering the customers out of the door faster and I saw there in the darkened corner was the sweet shy guy, his glasses falling down of his nose before he managed to save them and push them classically back up his nose.

Staring at me.

Giving a smile and a wave I grabbed Ino's arm and proceeded out of the café where Ino was still ordering people in a gruff tone between babbles to Sakura and Kakashi.

The black haired man was the last out and started when he saw me standing there.

"That's the man you had over the other night wasn't it? Same scent. I just hope you washed the sheets," Kakashi murmured teasingly in my ear.

And just like that my heart stopped beating. My blood cold, my skin clammy.

_He was the one in the flat!_

Acting like that totally was it, I smiled, praying that he would believe me. With how promiscuous I had been over the course I had stayed with him, it was no surprise that he assumed I had brought a man home.

I didn't remember the journey to the dive bar that was hidden just out of public view yet it was pretty enough that I didn't want to leave as soon as I arrived. Bee lining for the bar, I tried not to attract the attention of any of the ninja. They probably could smell the fear that was oozing off of me.

Managing the get the burly forty year old man's attention, I also caught the one of the person sitting in the shadows of the wall of the pub.

And without seeing their face I knew it was the black haired man with glasses.

Swallowing the rancid bile that was hitting the back of my throat I felt a hand touch my arm, quick as a flash, I smacked it out of my way, my eyes wide.

Kakashi stood there, the hand still frozen in the air, his eye penetrating me, going all the way into my cranium where all the lying through my teeth was being created. I flushed and reached out and rubbed the hand that I smacked as if that would make it better.

Later I would want to smack myself. Who would _want_ some creepy lady stroking the hand that they had just hit?

But common sense wasn't prevailing in this case as I was trying to not focus wholly on the eyes that were completely devouring me and for once, I didn't want this guy's attention.

Holding in a squeak, I tried to move around Kakashi, mumbling something like bathroom but he caught my arm.

"Who is that guy in the corner?" he asked lowly, his hand tightening around my wrist causing me to gasp.

"Er, I don't know what you are talking about," I mumbled, still trying to twist my way out of his grip.

"Kakashi!" Sakura's bright, bubbly voice cut through his mask of interrogation quicker than a knife through butter. "Why aren't you bringing the drinks over?"

In his distraction, I subtly twisted my wrist free that was hidden behind Kakashi's leg and made a break for it.

"Well, I couldn't carry them all and dear Jenny here offered to help me make the journey to our table," Kakashi's cheerful voice severed any of my chances of getting out of there.

Freezing, I looked over my shoulder where Sakura was giving me a forced smile and that _bastard_ was leaning against the counter triumphantly.

Saving my inner scowl for later, I grumpily trudged back over to where the bar tender was still dealing with our orders, snatching the various drinks for the different owners, my eye warily staying on the stranger who gave me a cocky salute with a pint of beer.

My blood weaved into ice in my veins, forcing my heart to stop beating or explode. Avoiding this sign of acceptance sent my adrenaline into overdrive and quickened my pace to our already rowdy table, sloshing our drinks as I went. I slammed the glasses on the table, shocking everyone to look at me but I was already speed walking back over to Kakashi who was greeted by a guy with a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

I smelt the newcomer before I actually saw his face but I knew he was one of Kakashi's friends from club from the earlier days that I was there.

"Alright, I'm done, can I go now?" I whined, trying to pick up my pace of seeming normal.

Kakashi's narrowed eye however proved me wrong.

"Are you sure she isn't some estranged daughter of yours, Kakashi?" the man teased beside him, a hand reaching to pick the cigarette out of his mouth so he could talk easier.

He glared at the man before turning to me.

"No, you can stand here and talk to dear Asuma here, he's a luckless in love case," Kakashi pushed me into the space that he previously stood, forcing me to stand almost chest to chest where I couldn't back up because of the stool behind me.

Forcing a sympathetic smile on my face, I rubbed his arm in comfort.

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said while Asuma's face stared at me, I knew it wasn't the only eyes that I had on me.

Slowly, I let an eye drift to the left where the stalker had previously been sitting where I had to swallow my increasing hysteria.

He wasn't there.

Surely that would be a relief? He wasn't there to torment me. But I still could feel his eyes on me but this time I couldn't see him.

I was the prey and the predator was preparing to pounce.

Before I knew it, I was really laying on the sympathy as I was leaning towards Asuma, my smile sad.

"Oh, no," I said, my mouth turning down as I tried for concerned. "I doubt drowning your sorrows like this is going to make you feel any better. How about," I leaned closer, my voice lowering, "you come back to mine and I'll make you some muffins?"

Asuma's brow creased at the odd offer and a stomped on my metaphorical self for being too strong, I should have waited. Now he will never come back and keep that creep away-

"Sure," Asuma tucked the cigarette in the front pocket of his green vest.

My eyes wide in disbelief before I could cover it up wasn't unnoticed by either of the men. Asuma chose to call it.

"What? Are they really that bad?" He joked and gave a belly like laugh that forced me to give one too, albeit more hysterically.

"Ha, yeah, totally," I joined in, my frown of worry probably still there despite my desperation to try and smooth out the tension in my forehead.

Behind me I could feel Kakashi's already slanted eye become more narrowed as they drilled a hole in the back of my skull.

Grabbing Asuma's hand, I gave a quick, jerky wave behind me to Kakashi who I could feel was still waiting by the bar but I couldn't turn otherwise I knew that he would figure out the reason I was taking Asuma home was to protect myself against that creep.

My clammy hand was embarrassing so I let go of him as I finally got us out of the dim pub where I couldn't see my enemy anywhere.

"You sure wanted to get out there, didn't you?" Asuma said, commenting on our fast pace that had slowed considerably from both the threat of the stalker and of Kakashi figuring me out.

I gave a nervous titter that made me wince. Way to play it cool, Jenny.

I sighed trying to play it off as tired.

"Honestly, I'm just glad I had an excuse to get out of there, I am just exhausted," I said, giving him a thankful glance, hoping him to eat my excuse up.

Asuma chuckled, removing his white cylinder from his pocket and was bringing it to his mouth to smoke when he stilled and suddenly pivoted his head.

I stopped too, placing my hand on his arm, peering around him to where he was looking at the alley way behind us on the other side of the street.

"What is it?" I asked my voice possibly wavering, showing my fear.

Was it the black haired man?

There was a space of silence before Asuma turned down to look at me with a shrewd eye before smiling at me.

"It was nothing, it's just an old man wondering about those bloody meddling kids," he winked.

I had to hold in my snort of laughter as he quoted the villains' role of claiming they would have gotten away with it without the Scooby Gang and I tucked my hand into his elbow.

"Well, let this old soul guide you then," I teased back, a real smile covering my face, no matter how small it was, it made me feel so much better.

We both were quiet as we continued to walk in tandem, our footsteps the only ones making noise at this awkward time between sunset and darkening dusk.

"So what muffins are you going to make for me?" he asked, his hands in his pockets, much alike a grey haired ninja I knew.

Shaking my head to rid myself of those thoughts I gave a smile.

"I actually don't know," I laughed, my hand crept up to my ear to push a blue strand behind the curve again. "It really depends what we have."

"I feel disappointed with the false security of muffins," Asuma shook his head as he pursed his lips to accept his cigarette.

Looking at those lips made me compare it to the sight I had of Kakashi's face before I flushed and turned my gaze away from Asuma's inquisitive stare.

Clearing my throat, I began the trek up the stairs until I felt some arm around my waist and I begun to panic thinking that it was the creep who was suspiciously absent as I continued to look over my shoulder subtly checking for _him_. I gave out a not so restrained huff of relief as I realised it was just Asuma who suddenly leaped into the air and we landed on the top of the stairs without tripping or anything.

I gaped back down at the bottom step that just seemed to crumble before my very eyes.

"Wha-? I mean, huh?" I stuttered.

Why had the jackass, Kakashi, never done this before? This would have saved me many a scrapped knee and-slash-or elbow!

I turned and beamed up at Asuma who just looked down at me, an amused quirk lifting the corner of his mouth. Flushing, I tucked my hair back behind my ear where it had flown loose in the sudden jump.

I tempered my breathing, I was sure that once Asuma got into the flat, the other guy would be too intimidated to come and bother me tonight. I kept trying to convince myself this fact as I pushed the door open, leading Asuma in by the hand when he seemed happy to just dawdle by the door.

Bringing out the various pots and pans, I tried to distract myself from the various thoughts surrounding what he expected from me. Did he want sex? Would I go through with it?

It had blatantly become obvious that I was becoming less reliant on sex and more on my friendship with Kakashi. So if push came to shove and he was threatening to leave, would I sleep with Asuma?

When I saw the black figure standing in the alley beneath me from the barest of glances I then concluded that I would. I really would.

Gulping, I began to lay out the ingredients before placing them in the bowl in their respective order.

"Don't you need a cookbook?" a voice said from behind me and obviously because I was so on edge I screamed and the flour flew into the air, glittering us with the white particles.

There was a silence as Asuma crouched there, a hand on the packet of the flour in one hand, saving it by my knee caps. I placed a wavering hand on my chest as I tried to calm down my heart.

"I-I'm sorry," I rushed to say as he placed the packet on the side, "I guess I'm just jittery."

I tried to shrug it off but I saw the careful consideration he was giving me and I was almost panicking when I saw he began to back away.

I reached a hand out, my hand grasping his arm, my eyes with his as they met in between our bodies, making their respective conclusions.

Me to resort to what I knew best.

And Asuma…well I don't know, but I was more focussed on my lips with his, my need for safety overcoming any other thought.

My lips moved over his in an unpractised mess, none of my usual cool efficiency. The fear was coming out my very skin and through my kiss.

The safety was so important to me that I didn't feel the prick in my neck until I was slowly being lowered to the floor.

"Wha-" I tried to move my mouth but felt like it was stuffed filled with marshmallows, forcing my mouth open and my eyes to shut resolutely.

My last sight was a fist heading towards Asuma's face.

…o0o…

He couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Kakashi had noticed the fear in Jenny's face.

Noticed the tremors in her hands, her frantic eyes that had begun earlier when he called her out on her midnight visitor.

But it was strange the way she was responding, to his knowledge of her trysts was completely unlike her. She did seem like the type to be shy about talking about them yet was unapologetic about the whole thing happening.

So what was happening here?

He knew that Jenny didn't come on that strong and he thought about her expression and contemplated maybe she didn't want to bring Asuma for that sake.

Looking back at the table then at the door where Jenny was still jerkily waving goodbye to him, unknowing that she was still keeping up the nervous movement.

What was going on?

He glanced at the table and saw Sakura's shrewd eyes as she stared after Jenny's back then gave him a glance and saw his eyes on her and gave a sunny smile.

Back when he was pining after her without her knowing, that would have sent little flutters towards his stomach where it would make breathing ever so hard. But now, the worry for Jenny was overwhelming and he wanted to focus on Sakura, he really did, but…what was happening with Jenny and Asuma right now?

What to do? Could he quickly sneak out and follow them home?

He shook his head quickly.

That would be creepy and Jenny, if she really was okay, would probably rip into him with jokes on how he can't live without her or something. His pride wouldn't let him live it down.

But what if…?

Kakashi determinedly focused on his drink where he was still standing at the bar until Sakura came over.

"Hey, what is it?" she asked, a hand on his arm, much alike when Jenny did to Asuma.

Scowling under his mask at the remembrance, he downed another large portion of his glass.

Sakura giggled as she pushed herself to her tiptoes and leaned forward into his space and Kakashi noticed that, there wasn't the tingles that previously celebrated her very presence. Testing his hypothesis, he surreptitiously pushed his hand on her waist only to pull her back in so both of their chests were running on the same lengths.

It was normal.

Just the same as if he had hugged one of his friends like Iruka or Kurenai.

Well, that was true until Sakura slid up the length of his body to kiss his lips and then he felt a tingle of excitement at the fact she made the first move.

But thinking about it, if any girl had made this kind of move on him, Kakashi was pretty sure he would have the same reaction.

Like what would Jenny do…

He resisted the strong urge to give himself a slap in the face as he returned Sakura's tentative kiss.

Surprisingly, there was a strange sense of relief when she finally pulled away. He doubted that would happen if any other girl had done so, more specifically a civilian who made the most come worthy crumpets-

Do _not_ think of coming and Jenny in the same sentence, dimwit, he chided himself as he tried to focus on what Sakura was saying.

"There-There was something I wanted to talk to you about," she began, her hand unknowingly playing with his sleeve.

Bringing the customary hand to cup the side of her neck to show that he was paying attention and was _not_ thinking about a certain blue stranded girl who was probably kissing his friend _right now_, Kakashi focused on the nervous kunoichi in front of him.

Taking a quick loud intake of breath to try and distract himself, he didn't realise that Sakura would take it for worry or trepidation as she rushed to reassure him.

"It's not anything bad, I promise," she said, her hands moving to rest on his green flak jacket. "I just wanted to talk to you about Jenny and her… living arrangements."

Kakashi's visible eyebrow lowered over his eye, not liking the two ideas in the same sentence as far as Sakura was concerned.

"What about it?" he asked finally, his voice low, unassuming, neutral, nothing pushing to expose his real feelings as he thought about the bed that they shared and how Asuma probably would be pushing her into the mattress, his hand sliding up the flawless neck…

"I just wanted to know if she was ever going to move out?" Sakura asked in one of her small voices that made him automatically pull her closer to him, used to this reaction, like a muscle response, like throwing a kunai, going through a set of seals…just there.

His hands rested respectively high on her back, not really thinking of anything other than where Jenny was now. Was she panicking? What had her so scared?

Realising he had been asked a question and had yet to answer it, he let one hand trail up and over a muscled shoulder of the small woman.

"I-" then he stopped. When _was_ she going to move out?

They hadn't discussed it, it didn't really feel like a feasible option.

Why would he even _want_ to? Jenny was the best roommate that he'd ever had.

Admittedly, she was the only one he's had, but that was beside the point.

She made him breakfast lunch and dinner. She cleaned the bathroom where by then, it would be grimy with dirt and blood, she did his laundry without a word of complaint and gave him an adorable indulgent smile whenever he tried to separate the whites from the colours, one time bopping his nose with a finger, much alike whenever he smartly rapped her head with his book. It had been accustomed to and enjoyed.

So, no, it had never really been a feasible option.

He liked the moments.

"I'll let her leave when she is ready or when she wants to go," he finally settled with which from the way her high brow furrowed, didn't pacify the pinkette at all.

She opened her mouth to argue back.

"No, Sakura," Kakashi cut her off firmly. "She stays. For however long it takes."

"But, she should be over it by now," she shot back, her hand going onto her hip, her hand abandoning its random plays with his sleeve like some bored cat.

He raised an incredulous brow.

"'She should be over it'?" he asked, his own hands abandoning her body. "If she was a ninja, I would understand where you are coming from, but she is a _civilian_ who got brutally _tortured_. No, she should not be 'over it', not at least for a few years."

Sakura scowled, stepping away from the circle of his personal bubble.

"'A few _years_'" she repeated disbelievingly, her eyes wide. "And she is going to live with you for that long?"

Kakashi just shook his head in denial of the conversation, drowning his liver with the rest of the strong beer before wiping his mask and pushing his way past his irate teammate, had she not grabbed his arm.

"And where do you think you are going?" she demanded, her grip tight and strong.

"I need to check on Jenny, she wasn't feeling right," he said, his blackened eye just daring her to contradict him, to complain one more time.

Instead, her hand reluctantly released him, her green eyes darkening with hurt and tears where she bit her lip.

Feeling regret, Kakashi now reached for her, his face already forming an apologetic face that wouldn't be seen for his mask.

Sakura just turned away, his hands pushing his away.

"I just-I just need to know," she seemed to steel herself as she looked back up at him.

Wary, Kakashi waited with baited breath.

"H-has," she swallowed hard to stop her tears, her little white teeth coming to rest on the pink hued skin. "Has she seen your face. As in your face without the mask?"

Surprised, Kakashi recoiled, his mouth opening to disclaim the statement but then, he didn't want this to come back and bite him in the arse. But he didn't want to hurt her either. Sakura had become a large part of his comfortable bubble, one of his precious persons that he could trust not to be killed easily.

But he shouldn't lie to her…should he?

Then he looked down at her face and saw that his hesitation spoke for him and the medical façade came forward, a professional mask that he knew he wouldn't see a different one for a while.

Backing away, Kakashi knew when to retreat. Escaping out into the outside, he leaped to the roof before continuing the sprint home, bypassing the stairs that lead up to the flats, opting to materialise straight to the front door where he opened it, only to halt.

There, before his eyes was Jenny kissing Asuma, her brow clenched like she was in pain, her hands tucked messily into the other man's hair.

His blood was heating, his hands twitching especially when he saw Asuma bring a sebon to Jenny's neck where he lightly pressed in the tip, only far enough for the glowing green tip to draw a thick trail of blood.

Not even thinking, Kakashi rushed up, a normal fist pummelling into a slow witted Asuma, who collapsed with the dead weight of Jenny on top of him with a grunt.

Moving to grasp Jenny's limp body, he brought a worried hand up to Jenny's neck where he saw the small hole had already healed and was bruising before fading into her now perfect skin apart from a shiny scar that was barely noticeable and the speck of blood.

Frantic fingers dabbed her skin, searching for a pulse. Waiting for the familiar thrum, he almost sagged in relief at the normal rhythm that was pushing against his finger pads.

Laying her body on the cold tile, Kakashi turned his equally frigid eye to Asuma who was just pushing himself up, a hand cradling his jaw, the other held up in surrender.

"Now wait Kakashi," he tried to say.

"What the _fuck_ were you doing?" he snarled, his hand slamming into his throat pushing Asuma back down to the floor with a crack of his skull against the tile.

"Would you rather that I was shoving my tongue down her throat?" he wheezed out.

Kakashi lessened his grip ever so slightly.

"So what _were_ you doing?" he said, his curiosity becoming the best of him.

Asuma smirked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Kakashi reapplied the pressure on his throat with renewed vigour.

"You better start fucking talking," he hissed.

"Wow Kakashi, I think this is the most I have ever heard you swear in one sentence," he wouldn't lose that bloody smirk that just boiled Kakashi's blood to an all-time high. "But since you ask so nicely," he rushed on to say as he felt a harder squeeze on his throat. "I was letting her get the sleep she had so obviously been missing out on for the past week."

He continued to reduce his grip until it was loosely holding so much so that he could have been beaten by a baby.

"Sleep?" he asked confused.

"You know by the fear of the guy that has been following her today and possibly for this entire week considering the bags under her eyes," Asuma rolled his eyes as he batted Kakashi's hand away from his neck.

"Guy?" Kakashi continued dumbly.

Asuma rolled his eyes and sat up, his other hand massaging the bruise that was slow forming.

"You can't honestly _not _smell him," he said disbelievingly. "He is basically all over the house!"

He frowned. He _had_ smelled someone, but he just thought that it had been a guy that Jenny had been seeing.

But this would explain the jumps, the tremors, the screams every time she was startled.

"I did smell him," Kakashi admitted grudgingly. "I just thought that it was someone that she was…_you know_."

"No, I don't know," Asuma assumed a wide eyes look.

Rolling his eyes, Kakashi bent and picked up Jenny's limp body, terrifyingly reminding him of when he picked up her body from the Orochimaru copy cat's den.

Her head lolled back, her body rested so casually in his arms, like she was unconsciously using him for a bed, for a resting place. A trusted, safe place.

Taking a deep breath, he got her sweet scent of mangoes that didn't feel like it was overwhelming. Unlike the violets that seemed to just ooze out of Sakura. Not that he had always hated it. He just…

…preferred mangoes.

Shaking the useless thoughts out of his head, he walked into their bedroom where he slipped off her shoes that in her nervousness and anxiety had forgotten to remove. His fingers paused on the buttons of her buttoned up blouse.

He knew Jenny always complained about having to sleep in a bra and how it constricted her breathing through the night.

Luckily, he was saved from the difficult decision by Jenny curling her body around, her curves unintentionally pushing against the various pieces of her clothes and that appalling _short_ skirt.

He'd have to talk to her about that.

She groaned again.

He'd talk to her about that too.

Doing both of those things while also on his bed should just be a crime condemned by the Hokage herself.

It made Kakashi uncomfortable.

Backing away quickly when he saw her navy eyelashes flutter against the pure white silk of her skin and Kakashi saw the even darker hued bags under her eyes and wondered how he ever had thought that it could have been too much sex.

Jenny slowed her stretch as she contemplated her new surroundings with wide panicked eyes. Moving slowly back into her vision to try and reassure her, he was met by blood shot eyes that told him had he not been so familiar she would have clawed at him.

"Oh, Kakashi," Jenny placed a hand over her mouth. "What are you doing here?"

Trying to play it like it would be normal, Kakashi tried to brush off the question with a raised eyebrow.

"I do live here, I think," he said teasingly as he gently sat down next to her.

Jenny flushed as she sat up nervously, her knuckles rubbing together, her hands reaching for invisible sleeves to pull over her hands. Instantly, his hand was on top of her wayward movements.

Jenny hesitantly raised her head and her eyes locked with his.

Black on blue, calloused tanned hands on pale white ones. Yin and Yang.

"Jenny," Kakashi began and he saw the way she flinched back into her little compact shell and still tried to fiddle with her fingers despite his holding like a clamp on them. "I want to ask you something."

This seemed like the worst possible thing to say as this caused her head to shoot right up, her eyes wide, seeming to know what he was going to say and tried to fight herself from his hold.

"Who is he?" Jenny froze.

Slowly her blue, blue eyes looked up at him again, this time in apology.

"He's this guy that I served once or twice at the café," she admitted, and Kakashi could see her slump like if she was a dog she'd be whining and her ears would be low on her head.

Reaching out, he smoothed her hair away from her face, a sign of acceptance.

"It wasn't your fault," he said softly, his head ducked down so it was along the same level as hers.

This just made her flinch all the more.

"But it must have been!" she exclaimed. "For him to follow me around like that, well he must have thought that I had liked him or he wouldn't have done it."

Anger flooded through his vision. Not at Jenny, although he was more than a little exasperated over her behaviour.

No, it was aimed at this dickhead who made Jenny feel bad for his poor decisions.

Grabbing her shoulders, Kakashi forced her to face him. His hands moved to her cheeks where tears were already free flowing.

"This was _not_ your fault," he said lowly, seriously. "The only person who is at fault here is me for not seeing it sooner and for that I apologise."

Jenny opened her mouth to protest but he covered it with a hand to let him speak.

"I'm not finished," he chided a small smirk now covering his lips beneath his mask. "I will find him for you later, so then we can get him the punishment he deserves."

"But-" Jenny tried to say behind his hand.

"No, I'm not hearing anything otherwise," he shook his head. "For now, you are going to sleep right now and I am going to stay right here to make sure that nothing happens."

Jenny looked up at him for a moment before she threw her arms around his neck, the force she propelled herself at almost forced him to fall onto his back. He sat there, his hands up ready to hold her, yet he couldn't.

He didn't feel worthy of it after all she had suffered through this entire week all because he was too taken in with his own happiness with Sakura.

_Not that it will be a problem for much longer,_ he said sardonically in his head, their fight replaying his head.

Finally, his hands rested ever so slightly on her back to try and return the hug yet Jenny still wasn't letting go, only tightening her grip.

"Um Jenny?" he tried to push her away.

"SHHHH, five more minutes," she mumbled into his neck that made him involuntarily shiver at the feel of her moist breath on his neck.

For a joke, he let his arms stay by his sides for a moment before finally returning the hug properly, one hand on her neck the other chastely sitting on her waist.

It was quiet and Kakashi couldn't decide if he had to fill the silence or not but it seemed Jenny was more than content to just hug him for comfort.

When it felt like more than five minutes, he brought it up with no reply.

Frowning, he pulled back and felt no restraining monkey hold on him only to find Jenny's mouth open as she snored lightly. Shaking his head in amusement, he picked her up and folded her into the duvet.

Pulling back he went to brush his teeth and say goodbye to Asuma before he went back to the bedroom where he stayed up and read until the very early hours of the morning when he knew Jenny would be getting up soon.

But because of the early dawn light, Kakashi spotted a silhouette against the sun and he leaped up, seeing that he was staring right at Jenny through the open window. The open window that happened to let a scent drift along the breeze towards him.

It was _him_.

Snarling, Kakashi jumped out and followed the pervert.

And so help him when Kakashi caught him, for he wasn't going to be able to live very long after he was done with him.

…o0o…

What woke me was a feather like touch to my nose and at first I thought it was Kakashi being annoying.

"'Kashi," I moaned as I rolled away from the touch. "Fuck off already."

"Unfortunately we have some business to talk over," a different, entirely too feminine voice said above me.

Freezing, I tilted my head towards where the light was leaking into the bedroom and saw Sakura standing over me, playing with a little pink feather pen.

I yawned, pushing myself to sit up, a hand in front of my mouth.

"What time is it?" I asked, scratching away an itch from scalp, another yawn threatening me.

"That's unimportant," she said quickly as she sat on the bed. "We need to talk."

I stopped my early morning wake up by looking at her with a little smirk on my face that I could feel would annoy her.

"That sound ominous," I said, swinging my legs out to go to the bathroom.

"Well the way you have been with _my_ boyfriend, I should think so!" Sakura exclaimed behind my back.

Rolling my eyes, I went to the sink and layered on some toothpaste knowing that I didn't brush my teeth last night before I fell asleep on Kakashi.

Looking up at the clock, I saw it was just in time for me to start getting ready for work.

"Well, tell me what you want to talk about," I said bored through a mouthful of toothpaste.

"I wanted to talk about you moving out."

I choked on the foam in my mouth and hurriedly tried to spit out the mint before I suffocated.

"Sorry," I coughed, "I think I heard you wrong, 'moving out'?"

"I'll pay you back for everything I broke-"

"Which you should be doing any way," I interrupted with my hands on my hips.

"But then again, can you blame me? You are living in my boyfriend's place," Sakura lowered her voice, her tone hurt. "How would you feel if the guy you were going out with was living with another girl and were sharing the same bed?"

Damn it. She was appealing to my soft side. Damn it!

Just as I was about to open my mouth to contradict her, I couldn't help but empathise with her. It was true, I would be a little more than jealous; I would be fuming. Raging. I would never let him live it down until the girl had moved out.

Sighing, against my better judgement, I nodded.

"Yeah, I'd feel pretty shitty too," I reluctantly agreed.

Sakura's face lit up.

"So? You'll move out?" she asked, her hands flittering in her excitement.

I felt a heavy weight sitting in my stomach over the fact that I wouldn't have Kakashi promising to protect me again. As lame as it sounded I was a DID of the most epic proportions.

"Ha-have you discussed it with Kakashi?" I looked to my feet, pulling at one of my matted pony tails.

Sakura's smile became a little more forced.

"Of course and we think that it is the best course of action" she said through gritted teeth as if she was holding back from throwing a punch at me and from the looks of it, it seemed pretty likely.

Then what was that whole talk about staying by my side so the creepy guy wouldn't get me? I shook my head. Maybe it was all too good to be true. I was the idiot again.

"I'll move out then," I said glumly as I moved to the other room to begin packing my stuff. Would we even talk anymore if I wasn't there?

"Here," Sakura shoved a bag at me, "I'm sure he wouldn't mind you borrowing this."

I stumbled back from the force and looked down at the suitcase before glancing back up at Sakura who just looked at me expectantly.

"Well? chop, chop! We gotta get going!"

"But where will I go?" I asked, the thought only just hitting me then and I paused in the folding of my t-shirts.

"Ino has a small room I'm sure she'll allow you to rent," she said blasé.

My shoulder hunched in at the reminder that I wouldn't be living with Kakashi anymore. Would he eat okay? Would he even do his laundry?

Then the question came up again: would he even talk to me anymore?

Shaking my head I forced myself to think of other things, less depressing things.

I ended up shoving everything into a pile before I clicked the suitcase closed, being dragged out of the door by an excited kunoichi but I was clever and secretive enough to leave a note with a mysterious pile of knickers on the bedspread.

…o0o…

God, this one was such a bitch to write.

And OMFG WHAT JUST HAPPENED? :o

Drama, drama, drama.


	15. What To Do?

What To Do?

"**But where will I go?" I asked, the thought only just hitting me then and I paused in the folding of my t-shirts. **

"**Ino has a small room I'm sure she'll allow you to rent," she said blasé. **

**My shoulder hunched in at the reminder that I wouldn't be living with Kakashi anymore. Would he eat okay? Would he even do his laundry?**

**Then the question came up again: would he even talk to me anymore?**

**Shaking my head I forced myself to think of other things, less depressing things. **

**I ended up shoving everything into a pile before I clicked the suitcase closed, being dragged out of the door by an excited kunoichi but I was clever and secretive enough to leave a note with a mysterious pile of knickers.**

…o0o…

It was raining when Sakura finally trusted me to continue to Ino's alone in the morning light.

I wondered if Kakashi was back yet and had seen my note but I tried to force myself to think of happier subjects in the presence of the pathetic fallacy of the raining mirroring my poor mood.

I mean, how was I going to be able to go to sleep without his reassuring presence beside me? How was I going to get rid of my leftovers? I knew Ino and Shikamaru wouldn't eat it as they seemed to eat anywhere other than Ino's apartment as it was almost constantly empty.

Sighing, I unlocked the door to the shop and re locked it behind me while I trudged through the kitchen and out through the side door where I tugged my heavy suitcase that was slowly cutting off the circulation in my fingers through the barred door and up the stairs.

After a sweating ten minutes, where my suitcase had fallen down twice, I finally reached the door to Ino's apartment, my hair dripping down the sides of my face, my eyes haggard, my lips chapped and my shoulders shaking from the shivers.

Knocking on the wood, I had a moment of trepidation.

What if Ino had already handed out the room? Where would I stay then?

I had to tamp down on this worry very hard as the door creaked open to reveal a bushy haired Ino with a t-shirt which obviously didn't belong to her, sliding off her shoulder.

"Huh?" Ino rubbed her eye with a fist. "Jenny? What are you doing here at," she looked over her shoulder at what was probably a clock. "Five o'clock in the fricking morning?"

I tried to hold in my tears as it finally hit me that I wasn't going to be around my best friend and that the said best friend kicked me out. And not even himself, his girlfriend.

"I'm not living with Kakashi anymore and I-I have nowhere else to go," I really tried to hold the tears in but once one come the rest follows, so that I was sobbing openly on her doorstep.

Alarmed, Ino took my heavy suitcase from me and brought it inside before she curled a hand over my shoulder to do the same.

"Oh lightbulb," Ino said, pitying look on her face, bringing me over to the couch in the L shaped living room. "Tell me what happened."

So I did, with several pauses where I blew my nose noisily as my eyes wouldn't stop leaking.

"An-and th-then, Sakura said I could come here because you still needed to rent out a room," I hiccupped, using one of my sleeves to wipe yet another tear that had escaped my eye. "But it's okay if you don't I'll just find another place to crash until-"

"What are you talking about lightbulb?" Ino exclaimed, going to her feet and hands on her hips. "Of course you can stay here, I'll even give you discount since you work for me."

I gave a watery smile before saying:

"Thanks, I really appreciate it."

Ino snorted before flipping her hair. "Well you'd obviously curl up and die without my guidance, but what can you do being this amazing?" she said, one hand coming to smooth the bushiness that in my now less saddened mind looked a lot like sex hair.

A _lot_ of sex hair.

"Do you mind showing me my room, so I can get settled and get to work? I know I'm starting late but-"

"Jenny, don't be silly," Ino chided, interrupting immediately. "You are not working as far as I'm concerned. You just lost a roommate and a home, you have to start making this one feel like it too." She said firmly.

Worriedly, I pulled my much abused sleeves over my wrists, stretching the already stretched material.

"Are you sure that's okay? I mean I'm happy to work…" I trailed off under the heat of Ino's stare.

"You are not stepping one _foot_ into the kitchen downstairs unless it is coming to get me." her scowl changed into a sunny smile in the flip of switch like a bi-polar.

"Now let's show you your room."

Dazedly, I followed after the blonde into the possibly the smallest room I have ever encountered.

If I analysed it, if I was creating this room on Sims 2, I would think that there was only enough room to move forward three squares, then the length of the room would be about five. Three of those squares were taken up by the single bed, two more taken up by the desk that was sitting at the foot of said bed, resting along the side of the wall.

Walking in, I realised I needed to retract that earlier statement, that straight from the door to the bed would only be two squares and then once you had reached the bed it would be a long line of five squares where it would widen again into three squares width.

However there was a really cool door that was secluded around the corner that when I pushed open, I could climb the narrow stairs into a square courtyard with empty and broken potted plants, with moss growing out of the patio.

For the first time in what felt like years, I beamed.

"Umm, lightbulb? Why are you smiling manically?" Ino's concerned voice asked behind me.

Instead I just heaved a sigh of relief as the tension left my chest.

"Just found home."

…o0o…

Walking in through the front door, Kakashi felt supremely satisfied. Everything was right in the world, the sun was shining, the birds were singing and he could just _bet_ that Jenny was in the other room making a delicious breakfast.

He knew why he was so happy. He finally had caught up to the creep and pummelled him into the ground, making him eat dirt and it was so satisfying that it was like when he ate a particularly good meal (generally made my Jenny) he felt the urge to regurgitate it whole just to eat it again. He wanted that stalker healthy again so Kakashi could slam him against the wall again.

Ah, the life of the ninja; the joys of beating up civilians and then torturing them with a swirling eye.

Whistling as he walked into the kitchen, he gave a small smile when he saw she wasn't there. She was probably still sleeping. It was adorable just watching her freak out about being late for work, usually was some kind of hectic hurricane as she tried to do everything at once.

One time he caught her with one trouser leg on, her head stuck in the wrong hole of her jumper, froth from her brushing her teeth falling down her chest and the little frustrated noises coming out as she tried to fix everything at once.

But seeing what he saw in his bedroom made him freeze: there on the bed was a pile of knickers and all the different drawers which Kakashi knew he had cleared out for her, were empty and hanging.

Hesitantly, Kakashi walked forward until he was by the edge of the bed, his hand slowly stretched before him, his fingertips just brushing the edge of the folded paper.

Steeling himself, he couldn't contain the confusion and (dare he say it?) hurt as he finally pushed the edges away from each other so he could read the note.

_Kakashi,_

_Thanks for letting me stay, I know it must have been a pain.  
I have done the last load of washing so you just need to hang  
up the pieces and NO leaving them in their piles doesn't  
'eventually dry' them.  
There are also some leftovers in the fridge if you just want any.  
I'm staying at Ino's place now, you know, just in case you want  
to… I don't know, hang out or something, I'll even let you lick  
the bowl?  
Thanks again for letting me stay here. Don't be a stranger. _

_Jenny_

_P.S. These are for the knicker entrepreneur with interest. _

_P.P.S AND you'll see there is not one cotton piece._

When he had finished reading it, he hadn't realised he had pulled down his mask and there was a little smile on his face where his thumb was tapping its curve.

With one reluctant hand he perused the 'stock' and with a laugh he saw the electric blue knickers that he once teased were going to be his one day. His eyes drifted off to the side where he saw the empty draws and Kakashi felt a little pang from where her absence was grating on him.

Keeping the letter in one hand, he walked to the kitchen where sure enough, when he opened the fridge door with a whine, there, Jenny had left him a meal and then off to the side there was another note and his eyebrows shot straight up.

It was the recipe for Come Worthy Crumpets.

Giving a laugh that turned into a guffaw, Kakashi lowered himself so he was resting against the counter next to the fridge and it wasn't until he covered his eye with a weary hand that he realised he was crying from the hysterics.

Wiping a curious hand under his eye, he contemplated the new development, shutting the fridge door.

A question remained however when he sat there staring at the ceiling:

Why did she leave?

She was the one who earlier was begging him not to go, to stay with her through the night.

Was it because he had left to go chase after the pervert?

No, Kakashi wagged his head, she wouldn't be that rash.

The only time when he had seen her be irrational was that time when he forgot to leave a note. A smile crept onto his face again and at her indignant huffs and hair tosses.

She could be truly adorable when she wanted to be.

Especially whenever he brought Sakura up and she tried to hide her dislike for the pinkette by brushing her nose to hide the wrinkle…

Kakashi sat up straighter.

Wait, had Sakura said something to Jenny? Could that be the reason she left?

He had forced his legs under him and was half way to the door, intent on getting the answers from Sakura before his feet slowed.

That was right, they weren't really on good terms at that point in time.

Especially after 'have you shown your face to her?' debacle, he knew that asking about Jenny wasn't the best tactical move out there.

Sighing, Kakashi turned to inspect the flat. There was the silence that used to be so reassuring.

So comforting.

Now all he could feel was it pressing in on him like a vacuum, clenching his chest uncomfortably. He rubbed his chest absently.

Maybe he was right in the whole Jenny is the monk of his temple thing, because now the flat felt disused, abandoned.

Sighing once again, Kakashi went to take a shower, he'd then go to the monument. Obito and Rin would advise him on what to do.

Ruffling his hair, he went to the equally quiet bathroom where there still was the scent of Jenny's mango perfume. Bee lining for the shower, Kakashi rested his hand on the knob to switch water on, but his hand refused to move.

He knew once he turned the shower on, that smell would go. The remaining presence, reminding him that Jenny had once lived here too would be gone.

Kakashi snorted. He was being undeniably stupid, he had a girlfriend so he didn't need to care about any other girl, no matter how sweet and funny she was, how she would still send him little notes on to keep himself healthy and alive or the way she…

He cut himself off, knowing that if he continued he would be there a while, so finally, with a determined crank, the water splurted out onto the plastic shower floor.

Resigned, Kakashi stripped in the silence. He felt the lack of chatter and needed something to distract him. Hopping back out and putting a towel on out of habit, he went to the kitchen where he found the cheap wireless radio and relocated it on the bathroom counter.

Switching it on to some random channel Kakashi felt satisfied that he would be able to adapt to this change in living arrangements as he lathered in his spearmint into his hair.

He'd have to check on how Jenny was doing later.

After all, she could be struggling with moving furniture around. Not that he would help, but more like he would sit and pretend to read his book while his eyes would be inadvertently drawn to her frustrated form.

Her cheeks red, her blue hair framing her face as it would fall out…

Coughing, Kakashi rinsed out his hair and searched for the soap and was a moment away from calling for Jenny to go get it for him when he closed his mouth with a snap.

Maybe this would be harder than he had originally thought.

…o0o…

I finally conceded that this may be harder than I had originally thought.

I huffed out a breath of frustration at the mini courtyard. I had decided it would become my new project as a distraction but frankly I was seeing myself giving up sometime soon.

After I unpacked my minimal amount of clothing into the drawers that were kept under my bed, all the while wondering when Kakashi had gotten back and saw my knickers just sitting on his bed.

Would he miss me at all?

He was probably a little thankful to have me out of his hair and not having to deal with the confrontation of having to kick me out.

Giving up on the frustratingly heavy plant pot, I wilted thinking about how he didn't even say goodbye, nor did he even bring up the subject of moving. I must have been such a burden on him.

I shook my head. There was no use in thinking those kind of thoughts, because, after all, I had left finally. I'm sure that we will still be friends.

Hopefully.

I placed my hands on the rim of the pot again and pushed my entire weight behind it, groaning with aggravation when it didn't even move an inch. If anything, I felt my shoes giving way to the stubborn plant pot.

What I wouldn't give for a little muscle right then.

Standing up right again, I rubbed the back of my neck tiredly, I squinted up to the strong morning sun.

Maybe I'll just make some lemonade and have a little sunbathe.

It would be the first time I realised to myself in horror.

All of the misspent sunny days that I never _once_ thought to spend just lazing around in a bikini.

Resolving myself, I underwent the challenge of getting everything ready.

Towel? Check.

Sunscreen? After rummaging through the cupboards for a long while, this was also successful.

Bikini? Surprisingly, no, but I thought my underwear would do, after all, my little courtyard acted as some kind of wind buffer but the walls were short enough to let the sun in at all times of the day in addition to keeping me hidden from prying neighbours. Or so I suspected.

But then came the form of entertainment. I hadn't any books left and I hadn't wanted to borrow any of the books from Kakashi's shelf, just in case he wasn't as cool as he seemed with me just picking them off the shelves.

And I also didn't know if I would ever see him again to return them.

I pouted. I was sure that he would come and visit sometime.

You couldn't go through everything we did and not come out as friends by the end of it...

Right?

But my mood brightened as I remembered there was a bookshelf in the living room, that despite my crying fit, my eyes were unnaturally drawn to.

Happy, I skipped through the rooms until I was standing at the surprisingly sparse bookshelf.

Blowing a breath out through my lips, I felt my fringe that had fallen out of the ponytails flop away from my sweaty forehead only to rest back on it again.

What to read, what to read…

There wasn't a whole lot in all honesty, much to my disappointment.

There was a few mystery novels, but I never had the patience to read them. Why couldn't they just tell you who killed who rather than dragging it out for four hundred pages or more?

Some cheap comedy, but then again I never understood the jokes.

Ooo, there was some sci-fi… but it was about vampires. I wrinkled my nose as I slid it back onto its respective shelf.

And on and on it went. I would pull a book out read the blurb only to put it back on the shelf in disgust or boredom.

Military tactics, horror, religion, cults…

Honestly, the choice was extremely poor.

In the end, after reading all the blurbs of the books, I settled on the vampires.

I could almost feel the light book weighing into my hand ominously.

In hindsight, from the cover to the blurb, I knew it would be shit but I thought I would give it the chance I knew it didn't deserve.

So after lathering myself in sunscreen, I settled on my towel with my borrowed sunglasses and began to read.

Took me a couple of hours, but finally when I finished it with a groan, I was so disappointed.

In myself.

Predictable, plot holes at every turn.

And I'm sorry, but going out with a vampire who had an extreme sense of smell, and you seemed to try and procreate at every opportunity and he seemed to get high off your blood.

One, when on your period, how on _earth_ was he keeping himself back?

Two, that must _hurt_ if you both were having sex left, right and centre?

Three, come on, let's just say the actual passing on the virus through a kiss, I just want to point out is extremely difficult to do. Because, let's say for example, AIDs you can't actually pass that on in saliva without swapping an entire bucket of spit, (true fact) so you are telling me, this virus which apparently is _very selective_, passed on just from one kiss?

Please, do not insult my intelligence.

I huffed a breath. I knew it was going to be bad from cover to cover, but those two hours I would never get back.

Looking up at the empty sky, I almost missed the roar of the aeroplanes that used to fly over the city.

I felt a little smile coming onto my face at the remembrance of when I was younger and I thought the very world was ending every time a plane flew overhead. An apocalypse if you will.

It was amusing really how it ended up being a comfort to me after all that happened.

Pushing myself to my elbows, I inspected my tan lines which were coming on surprisingly well and I could see my stomach had a little sheen of sweat from the humidity glistening around my belly button.

Feeling a kink in my back, I stood up and gave an extremely satisfying crackle through my spine as my arms went over my head.

Just as I was turning my head away from the railing that was blocking me into the courtyard, I saw a glint in the corner of my eye. Stilling, I let my eyes roam where just the corner of what I thought to be water was coming from the derelict lot next to Ino's

Intrigued, I headed over to the railing where I saw a sliver of the edge of a pool, however the sliver I did see had it filled with leaves and dirt.

It _was_ incredibly hot and it didn't look like the owners used it…so what was the harm in taking a little peek?

No, no, I shook my head. It probably was owned by someone who didn't have the time for it, or the pool cleaners hadn't come yet. Probably a very valid reason why they weren't using the obvious solution to the _incessant_ heat.

But…

I bit my lip indecisively.

Surely, it couldn't help to have a little look?

Squealing with excitement, I only slowed long enough to grab a baggy t-shirt and pull it on before I was grabbing my new key and was darting down the dangerous stairs at an equally dangerous pace before I was pelting out the door before sneaking around the corner, being all pink panther like.

Seeing there was a loose board in between the slabs of the fence, I moved it further with a tentative touch so I could get through with no scratches or splinters to my person.

Because let me tell you, those little buggers _hurt_.

In the presence of the entire body of water wasn't as satisfying as I thought it would be. No, it was _better_.

Despite all the grime and leaves, where it lay behind the house meant that it would constantly be in the sun which for someone with the intent to sunbathe with their legs in the pool sounded pretty damn fine to me at that point.

Admittedly, I couldn't enjoy a pool like other people as I couldn't actually swim, but my family couldn't afford the lessons when I was younger so I just never learned.

I had made my peace with it, so with that in mind I set about improving their pool with shifty eyes.

Seeing there was some kind of shed to the corner of the lot, I approached it with my feet hesitantly hitting the hot pavement, and the mysterious myriad of objects, I found a dusty container of chlorine and a new filter machine that seemed to just work on batteries that would just motor around the pool getting the worse of the grime everywhere.

After several trips and a couple of hours later, I deemed the pool inhabitable for leg dangling without getting some parasite burrowing its way into my skin or what happened when you stayed in infected water for too long.

Sighing in relief, I had come down to the water bookless, too afraid of venturing into the poorly stocked bookcase that was frankly insulting to anyone's intelligence.

Padding my feet lightly in the sparkly water I allowed my head to tip back, exposing my throat to the UV rays, heaving out a sigh.

So much to happen, so much to lose and so much to deal with in just the past few hours.

It was nice to finally not to have to think about anything.

Lifting an arm, I thought the scars looked paler under the sun and I knew from past personal experience that the more sun they got, the more they disappeared, but this was just ridiculous.

Just a few weeks ago, they were an angry, rash colour, yet before my very eyes they looked as they were slowly dissipating.

Shaking the thought from my head, I refocused my attention on getting a base tan for the rest of the summer.

So focused that I barely heard the brush of leaves under sneaky feet until I felt hands _push_ straight into the water and sink down to the bottom of the pool.

Panic overwhelmed me and I flailed, trying to mimic the look of swimmers, but the blurry shimmer of the surface never seemed to lessen the distance. I felt the burn in my chest, the throbbing of my pulse in my ears.

My blood was pulsing in my veins and I was begging anyone out there not to let me die. Someone. Anyone.

My mouth opened unintentionally letting more air bubbles to erupt and fly to the surface without me.

I scrabbled faster feeling the need for air push tighter against my abused lungs. I tried pushing from the bottom yet the incredibly deep pool meant that my futile push and flailing of my legs was all in vain.

My feet touched the bottom again and I crouched ready to shove myself to the surface however since it was such a deep pool I barely reached the top. I really needed to inform this back water town about their safety hazards.

However, there was something that caught my eye:

There, right by the edge, I saw a figure. Watching me. Waiting for me to drown.

…o0o…

Kakashi had just gotten out of the shower when there was a frantic knocking at his front door.

Usually he would ignore it, waiting until he had changed into something suitable but from the way that Anko's chakra was flaring uncontrollably, he knew she must be upset.

It took a lot to get her upset.

And usually the 'lot' was Orochimaru.

And where there was Orochimaru, there was trouble. A lot of trouble.

Tightening his lips grimly he grabbed the doctors mask which he swiped from the hospital long ago from the bathroom counter, tying it as he proceeded to the door.

Opening it, his assumptions had been correct.

There Anko stood, her lip wobbling slightly as she held a piece of paper in her visibly shaking hand.

"You had better come in," he said, pulling back sweeping his arm to usher her into his flat, like he wasn't clad only in a towel and water droplets.

…o0o…

I felt the chlorinated water blur my vision further and the desperation left me. There was no one left to save me. Nothing left for me to hold.

All I knew was that there would be no one left to mourn me, and no one left for me to hold onto in my last breath.

I wouldn't even get to tell my family that were so far from me that I loved them.

I was so cliché.

My eyes fluttered closed as I still refused to aid my drowning by breathing.

Neil's face came into my vision, his laughing eyes, his sweaty skin, common from a successful match, his hand reached out to me…

I drew in a gasp of happiness.

And nothing happened.

I opened my eyes again and they protested against the chlorine as I looked up at the surface where I could now see the figure had left.

Taking another cautious breath, I felt a heaviness enter my lungs before being released again. I frowned.

Wasn't this the part where breathing in water would suffocate me then eventually kill me?

I stood up and began to walk around the bottom to the shallow end cautiously, like a garden as a teddy bear in the nursery rhyme*.

One step.

I breathed.

Nothing happened.

Two step.

Breathe.

Nothing.

Tickly under there!

I shook my head at my antics as I turned to the incline which was actually quite a steep walk so when my head finally breached the surface, I was panting, but alive.

I gave a hysterical laugh. _I was alive!_

So happy, I splashed the water around me just revelling in the joy until there was an amused voice from the side of me.

"You leave the flat to live here now?" Kakashi shook his head at my antics.

I felt a relief over me, thinking that he was going to avoid me eternally after I had left.

"Kakashi!" I cried as I waded my way over to him, my arms in the air, and my feet slicking over the mossy floor. "You came!"

He raised an eyebrow as I hauled myself out of the water and launched my elated self at him. I felt his limbs gawkily hold themselves away from my body as they were unsure where to hold me on my wet, almost naked body.

"I had to let my appreciation be known for the final price of the stock I received _finally,_" he sighed dramatically before one hand pressed in between my shoulder blades and the other on the small of my back.

I pulled away with a happy smile, smacking his chest.

"Oh shut up, pervert," I laughed as I shielded my eyes with a hand as I mock glared at him.

From the way his jaw moved I saw that his mouth was most likely pouting.

"You say such mean things," he whined but from the way his eye was crinkling the smile was coming through to his eyes.

"Yet you keep coming back for more," I smirked as he rolled his eye in aggravation.

"And here I was going to give you a house warming gift," he waved a beautifully, book shaped parcel.

My eyes were frozen solid on the book which I knew he would have more likely had read and thought it was worth it. I was almost salivating at the package and it seemed Kakashi had cottoned onto this weakness of mine.

"Oh? Did you want this? For some reason I thought that you wouldn't care," he waved it around carelessly and his usual nimble fingers almost dropped it if his quick actions didn't receive it again.

I gasped in horror.

"No, please, I'm begging you, I just had to read a vampire and a-"

Kakashi held up his hand, his eye wide. "Say no more. Here."

Grabbing it with greedy hands like a tramp on chips, I tore the simple brown parcel paper off with excited rips. Yet, when all the cover was gone I froze, my heart barely pushing in my chest anymore as I reverently pulled the Icha Icha book out from its prison.

There was a moment of silence before Kakashi awkwardly clearing his throat.

"You wanted to read it right?" he scratched behind his ear hesitantly.

Looking up at him, numb with excitement, my hands shaking, I finally let out a high squeal and launched myself at him, my legs wrapping around his waist as my arms coiled around his neck.

Reflexively, his hands grabbed my thighs as I continued to squeal.

"Ohmyohmyohmyohmyohmy!" I continued to babble. "Iloveyouohsomuch!"

I squirmed in his arms and finally I pulled back to see his eye wide and without a thought I kissed his nose accidently before I replaced them on his lips with a loud smack.

"You are my favourite person ever!" Releasing my hold on him, my entire functions were on the book in front of me as my partially dried front faced midday sun as I thumbed for the first page eagerly.

Behind me I felt Kakashi not move until he slowly took the book out of my hand. Complaints on my lips, I turned to find his face was closer than I anticipated and any words that I thought to form were caught hazily in my throat as I felt a wave of heat at the thought of him coming closer and slipping his lips on mine.

Because of this, I was totally unprepared for when his hands reached to my shoulders and shoved me back into the pool.

I screamed in surprise as my head sunk under the surface. But luckily I was in the shallow end of the pool so I could push myself quickly to the surface.

Spluttering as I batted the chlorinated liquid out of my stinging eyes I saw that Kakashi had lazed back in my position, his legs stretched out towards me, his trousers already rolled up past his knees.

Smacking the water, I made sure to splash him in anger while he flinched slightly, he paid me no mind much to my chagrin.

"You are such an arsehole," I muttered, pulling my blue strands out of my face with an expert hand.

"You saying I give out shit?" he asked calmly, leaning back on one elbow while turning another page of his romance.

"That's exactly what I am saying," I dead panned, using my hand to practice pulling water to me.

I thought about perhaps telling Kakashi that I could breathe underwater but I wasn't sure if that would inspire more suspicion towards me. Because come on, who the hell can breathe underwater? But my mouth opened anyway but was cut off by another form that had lightly just perched on the top of the fence behind him.

My eyes were the only warning for Kakashi as he turned and saw his girlfriend sitting, peeling an apple with a particularly sharp knife which made me back away from the side in which I was attempting to swim to.

I ducked my face under the layer of water so only my eyes were visible, as if that was to hide me. But I knew that if I was standing fully upright, she would see me in my underwear where she would be fuming, thinking that it was an intentional way for me to get Kakashi.

Sakura's green eyes never left the red fruit in front of her as her bare leg swung gently backwards and forwards.

"I have your stuff Jenny-san if you want to go up to your room an collect it," the pinkette offered, never once looking up and I think it was probably for good reason because even without her fiery gaze locked on me, I could feel the anger coming at me.

Or Kakashi, I couldn't really tell.

"Oh, thank you," there still was a niggling bit of doubt that she had replaced everything and there was a little bitter part of me that was still angry that hissed _I bet she got the cheapest substitutes she could find_.

Frowning, I tried to focus on the conversation at hand.

"But Kakashi," Sakura turned her faux sweet voice on him, her eyes narrowing. "I thought we agreed to let her settle in for a couple of days before we would come and visit her together."

I debated the pros and cons of getting out of the pool.

Pro, I would avoid this increasingly awkward conversation. Very beneficial.

Con, Sakura would see me in my underwear and call me out on it, resulting in more drama. Not so beneficial.

Pro, I would _really_ avoid this situation and would result in my positive mental health.

Settled, I paddled as quietly as I could to where my book was and where I saw my key still glinting on the side.

Trying to hold in as much as the sloshing could, I pulled myself out, feeling the hot sun already beginning to evaporate the water from my back. If life was fair, the couple to my left would be too engrossed with their argument to even notice me.

But unfortunately since someone out there seemed to have it out for me, as soon as the first slosh began, Sakura's head whipped round to see the source of the disturbance. And like a laser beam, I was caught and annihilated.

Flinching, I tried to endure the glare of her wrath as she took in what I was wearing. It was one of my cheaper replacements for some of the lingerie that she had ruined. In fact, I don't really understand why she was being so negative towards it.

It had little pink spots dotted over the white cotton _and_ it didn't have much padding in terms of most of my bras. The actual knickers were full, albeit shorter than most but they were also very conservative in comparison to what they should have been like if I went with the thong option.

I was just saying.

Bending over I quickly pulled the t-shirt over me, getting immediate damp spots where my breasts pushed against the fabric.

"I'm just uh," I pointed to the little slab of freedom that unfortunately the route had to directly cross Sakura's baleful eye, unless I wanted to pointlessly walk around the pool to what could only be accomplished in a few easy steps.

I didn't bother to finish my sentence because I knew that soon Sakura was going to blow a gasket.

And I was in range.

Making the risk, I dared to pause and grab the gift that Kakashi brought for me. I darted through the gap, a little less easier now, I thought as I felt some splinters dig into my skin, I rushed to the door where I unlocked it and ran up the stairs. When the front door finally closed, I breathed out a sigh of relief. I was safe.

After the day I had, I made sure that the door was locked. I didn't know who just tried drowning me but as far as I was concerned, I wouldn't be going out there alone again.

Pushing myself off the wood of the door, I thought about Sakura's apple which made me particularly hungry, and directed myself to the kitchen where lo and behold I found me some very bright red apples to eat. I pondered on what I could achieve with the rest of my afternoon without having to focus on the lack of other human company.

And I also wanted to make my Icha Icha book last as long as possible considering the threat of the other literature that would be offered if I finished it too quickly.

It was when I took a step towards my bedroom that I realised that I was dripping water all over the floor and there was a variety of leaves and dirt that my body had accumulated.

My lip curling in disgust, I altered my course to my personal bathroom that had signs of disuse with the rusty shower-tub combination and the red dripping from the corners of the mirror.

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. I was already missing my old home and that was even _without_ Kakashi.

Resigning myself, I squeaked the knob into life and after a reluctant splutter, it began to pour out water in varying degrees of speed and power.

I shook my head to gather my clothes from the other room. I hoped I sorted out this mess. And soon.

…o0o…

"_So you're saying that the man that has been following Jenny, the creep that I had beaten up and put in a cell, is the copycat?" he asked slowly as if he was barely coming to terms with what he was saying. "And now you're telling me that he has escaped?"_

_Anko nodded and stared down at her hands, her mouth tight._

"_While most of the laboratory was burnt down, we managed to salvage some of his research, most on what Jenny's body can do."_

"_What can she do?" he leant forward, his eyes bored into hers. _

_The woman paused, her eyes careful on his. _

"_From the way that the research was heading," she hesitated, biting her lip until she fast forwarded her mouth, "from the way the research was heading, they were going to see if she could survive drowning. You need to find her, do you know where she is?"_

_His blood went cold. _

_Ino's is next to a flower shop and…_

_The old community swimming pool._

_Barely fitting his clothes on in a record time, he rushed out of the door._

…o0o…

It was closer to dusk when I felt a presence at my window and jittery from the past stalker, my eyes sharp as they grabbed the nearest thing to me which happened to be a rotten piece of chair that I had recently only brought in from the courtyard outside my place which I then held aloft.

But seeing the mask and grey hair reassured me enough that I gave a huffing laugh before walking over to where the pervert was nonchalantly crouched, reading his book. As if he crouched there every other day for comfort of his reading.

Opening the window, I placed my hand on my hip like a mother greeting her misbehaving child.

"And what would you being doing here Hatake?" I asked, a teasing smile on my face as I leant against the window that opened inwardly.

Slowly, in all ways a calm man who was more than a few feet off the ground that would result in his immediate broken body beneath us, Kakashi blinked.

"Some ghosts had decided to make a home in my bed and refuse to share, would you mind sharing yours?" he deadpanned and for a second I thought he was metaphorically referring to another human being.

Yet when I saw his clear and transparent eye staring at me innocently, I couldn't find it within myself to complain as I stood back from blocking the entry to allow Kakashi to clamber in gracefully.

There was a little part of me that wanted to bitterly point out how he had discussed with Sakura of getting rid of me but I needed someone to stay with me that night. I was too afraid of what would happen if he didn't, what with the stalker and drowning attempt, I seemed to just attract trouble.

Unfortunately.

Kakashi with the grace of a ninja leapt onto my bed, already stretching and reclining like a content cat, it wouldn't have surprised me if he gave a little purr to attest to this hypothesis.

It was only then when I thought about sleeping arrangements where it was a single bed and other than the sofa in the other room for a bed, I didn't have anywhere to rest him. And while the sofa was the most logical, I didn't want him too far from me and short of laying some towels on the floor, which I didn't think he would appreciate, he was going to have to share my bed.

As if sensing my thoughts, Kakashi never brought his gaze away from the lines of literature in front of me, he raised his arm, a clear invitation for me to tuck myself into the little space provided.

I hesitated. I wasn't exactly in my pyjamas yet and I realised all the contact that I would be making would be more invigorating than relaxing, yet I knew it to be rude if I didn't accept the space. But then again, Sakura.

I didn't think I needed to say more. I would die if I accepted it.

But wasn't it worse that Kakashi was offering it in the first place?

"Firefly, my arm is getting tired," his voice brought me out of my thoughts and I found that my decision was made for me.

Reluctantly making my way over, I tucked my legs under me as I sat in the place provided, sitting stiffly, refusing for anything to be misinterpreted. Mostly on my side, but in case the ever thinking Kakashi got the wrong idea.

_Or would it be the right idea?_ A voice whispered in the corner of my mind and I hastily covered it with menial thoughts of my Icha Icha which I brought out to distract me.

I cleared my throat as the arm settled on my shoulders heavily, a reassuring weight and I had to stiffen myself further to try and hold on without gasping at an extreme overwhelming amount of emotion and I could have _sworn_ that I felt a presence on my hand. Yet when I spared it a glance, I saw it was still as unheld as when I had first arrived here.

Frowning, I turned back to the well written porn that surprisingly had such a plot line that it had me gripped and slowly relaxing in the presence of a completely unrelaxing human next to me.

There was a harder squeeze on my hand and I curiously brought it out and saw the way it was being pressed in, like someone was holding it. I felt my heart rate increase in worry.

What in the hell was going on?

I twisted it this way and that to try and determine how it was occurring. Was it a delayed reaction from when I was breathing underwater earlier?

"Jenny?"

My head snapped towards the voice in my ear that sent unrestrained shivers down my shoulders, through my body and I saw Kakashi giving me an odd look.

"Are you alright?"

Turning to my hand, my mouth opening to tell him about the situation, I saw my hand had returned to its original state. Frowning harder, I tried to play off his concern, tightening my hand into a fist.

"Sorry," I muttered, lowering my hand. "Just, I think I must be a lot more tired than I originally thought."

"Well, you haven't been sleeping because of that _man_," the last bit no more than a snarl but it was of a comfort to me to know that he cared enough to deal with him for me.

"That is true," I murmured, daring to bring my eyes up to his, my index finger holding my place as my eyes stared into Kakashi's.

Even without his contact to increase my heartbeat, I would have felt it anyway when I could have sworn there was those electrical pads on my chest at the sight of his eye staring into mine deliberately.

"Maybe you should sleep now?" he suggested lightly, his eye beginning to unnerve me and I couldn't decide whether it was because of my increased heart rate that slowly had been accelerating since the beginning of talking to me or because of his attentiveness to my needs.

I managed to wrench my eyes away with some difficulty and glance towards the window where it would show the evening light from the still remaining sun.

"But it's still early," I protested, my hand gesturing towards the window that was still letting the buttery yellow light through the window, my hand actually looking at the wall to the side of him.

"Yet you haven't taken into account how you didn't sleep any last night," Kakashi pointed out, his tone not allowing any room for argument and I realised that to protest anymore would most likely be futile.

Sighing, I flopped my legs out and opened the draw beneath my bed and pulled out one of my more conservative pyjamas, respectively replaced by Sakura much to my delight.

Not really seeing the point in covering me change as Kakashi had already seen the worse of me, I pulled down my shorts to replace them with the grey silky kind with the matching camisole, but I did turn my back on him.

Nervously, I left only for two minutes to brush my teeth with the slightly metallic water as it adjusted to being used again. As I walked back into the bedroom, I found that I had to contain my stutterings, the brief jumps of my heart as I would remember that I would be staying in the same bed with Kakashi. Alone.

I took a deep breath and pushed the door open and resolutely walked the two steps to the bed before I realised what Kakashi had changed into.

Instead of wearing his normal outfit, I saw that he was shirtless with his mask off. So there I knelt, one knee on the bed as I let the surprise at the sight of his face show.

It never ceased to amaze me whenever I saw the aristocratic nose and the pointy chin, admittedly this was the second time I had seen it naked and I could see a very obvious tan along the bridge of his nose.

It was only when Kakashi raised an eyebrow at me that I noticed that I hadn't moved for at least a minute, my eyes focussed wholly on his face.

"You have a way with boosting a man's ego don't you?" Kakashi said drolly, lifting one muscled arm to stretch behind his head, highlighting the majority of his muscles that seemed to work in tandem.

The moisture in my throat evaporated at the sight and I struggled to clear my throat as I jaggedly clambered into my side of the bed where under the covers my bare legs were lying in contact with Kakashi's hairier ones.

It was a lot closer than I usually had to deal with when we were back at his flat.

But I wasn't hiding my misgivings well, considering that I was lying like I usually did, where I would be curled up on my side, but I couldn't decide what was worse, me connecting our legs which were likely to tangle in the night or me in a curled ball and have Kakashi possibly spoon me in the night. So I settled for lying on my back my hands folded over my stomach, my eyes looking everywhere but at the body beside me.

I breathed deeply to try and gain some confidence before I opened my mouth.

"Kakashi?"

He grunted in acknowledgment.

"Don't you think," I hesitated before I began again, "don't you think that Sakura would be unhappy with you staying over right now?"

I dared to look out of the corner of my eye to see how he would respond and what I saw made me have to swallow down a tinge of desire, for fear that it would come out in my next sentence.

Kakashi was pursing his lips and it didn't look like when a woman did.

No, it had a masculine purpose of kissing a woman and it looked like he would taste incredible.

I felt myself leaning forward before I remembered he had no ties to me and quickly reclined, averting my eyes to the ceiling again. I really needed to get this under control.

"Sakura and I have too much distance to cover," he responded mysteriously but what I thought to interpret, my hopes raised.

"Does that mean that you and her have…broken up?" I asked my hands, not daring to glance up knowing that if I did, I would see his face and I would be all the more wounded if he said no.

Minutes passed and I resolved myself that he was never going to answer and I was never going to peek up at his expression so I closed my eyes against the waning light and prepared myself for sleep.

"I don't know," was all I heard whispered as I finally let a welcome blackness claim me, my hands unintentionally burrowing into Kakashi's chest.

…o0o…

*_Round and round the garden,  
Like a teddy bear,  
One step, two step,  
Tickly under there! (generally the neck but you can do it on the stomach)_

Hope you all had a great valentine's day yesterday!

xoxox


	16. Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice

"**Don't you think," I hesitated before I began again, "don't you think that Sakura would be unhappy with you staying over right now?"**

**I dared to look out of the corner of my eye to see how he would respond and what I saw made me have to swallow down a tinge of desire for fear that it would come out in my next sentence. **

**Kakashi was pursing his lips and it didn't look like when a woman did it. No, it had a masculine purpose of kissing a woman and it looked like he would taste incredible. **

**I felt myself leaning forward before I remembered he had no ties to me and quickly reclined, averting my eyes to the ceiling again. I really needed to get this under control. **

"**Sakura and I have too much distance to cover," he responded mysteriously but what I thought to interpret, my hopes raised. **

"**Does that mean that you and her have…broken up?" I asked my hands, not daring to glance up knowing that if I did, I would see his face and I would be all the more wounded if he said no.**

**Minutes passed and I resolved myself that he was never going to answer and I was never going to peek up at his expression so I closed my eyes against the waning light and prepared myself for sleep.**

"**I don't know," was all I heard whispered as I finally let a welcome blackness claim me, my hands unintentionally burrowing into Kakashi's chest.**

…o0o…

Slowly everything around me was receding. The bright, vivid dream draining away.

I sighed snuggling tightly into my pillow reverently. My sensitive ears picking up on the light twittering of birds. I smiled.

The sun was probably shining, the birds were soaring, there was nothing that would ruin this now…

Except Ino.

"Get up!" then I felt dreaded hands yanking on a stubborn shoulder and fell through the breeze to land hard on the ground.

"OW!" I cried, wincing and rubbing my head as I got one of my hands underneath me to push myself upright. "What even…?"

"It's summer solstice today and mum and dad promised that if I sell enough at the stall today, they will let us take a break for an entire _month_," Ino beamed, her hands on her hips as she towered over my limp body. "Isn't that great?"

I groaned, flumping my forehead back onto the dusty wooden floorboards, "so great."

"So I know it is your day off and all, but I was thinking you make a lot of tasty treats enough to entice some lovely customers, not to mention you in a yukata would send the boys running to us," she began to think aloud her finger tapping on her lower lip as she pondered, "but of course you would rock a yukata, it is you we are talking about." Ino gasped, her blue eyes wide as she smacked her cheeks in surprise. "Speaking of which! We haven't even _bought_ you one yet! Oh come on, quickly up! We have much to do today!"

I groaned again, wanting to bury myself further into the dusty floor but realising if she was only using words now, it was going to be reduced to using her fists and legs later.

Raising my head I expected to see Kakashi lounging there with his book open or maybe with his pillow hanging over his face as he tried to block out the banshee next to me, but to my surprise it looked like I had slept alone last night. I frowned.

When did he leave?

I was yanked out of my musings with the banshee whose hand hold was akin to that of a troll as she yanked me, pyjamas and all, down the stairs of our apartment and through the streets, me tripping up on the painful cobble stones that my feet were in a constant state of healing.

I winced once more as I caught my toe in a crack again, feeling the blood leak about before my skin sealed up, the only remainder was the red liquid that caked my feet.

So when Ino finally stopped outside the shop, I heaved a sigh of relief, leaning against the wall for a breather. However it was not to be as Ino cracked my arm out of its socket and through the glass doors into a shop where there was a constant state of squeals from girls, young and old alike.

I gaped as I looked at the fancy two story store where there were kimonos and yukatas in all the colours of the rainbow with various designs on.

I barely had time to admire the multiple walls and boundaries of glass before Ino was tugging me harshly to a wall that seemed filled to the brim of fuchsia fabric.

"Alright," she cocked out a hip as she mused over the options a hand propping her jaw upright while another traced along the multiple yukatas.

Finally coming to a decision, she brought my arms up into a cradle before she began to stack the variety of designs on my forearms.

"You'll try this one and this one and this one," the pile just got higher and higher, so much so that I was afraid that if I tripped and this fabric fell on my face I would find myself suffocated.

I sighed to myself, unwilling to fight against this force of nature but I managed to wrangle her into letting me have other colours, unfortunately, only _she_ got to choose the patterns.

Shoving me none too gently into a cubicle, I dropped my load in relief and in shock that I had been allowed a break. I glanced around at the plain walls enclosing me in the small space, then at the full length mirror in front of me, I felt like groaning again when I saw the state of my face and my breasts hanging loosely in my top from a lack of bra.

Smacking my face, I reached down into the mound of clothes, reminding myself that her wrath was worse if I didn't get this done quickly to start on baking the cakes.

I managed to console my worried conscience of the fact that I hadn't made any with the fact that I had back up batter in the fridge for moments like this.

Doing the sash tightly, I wasn't sure if I had put it on right but I just saw the design of white cat cartoon faces on the design that I just grimaced and placed it in an unwanted pile.

"So how's it going?" Ino asked after at least ten minutes of me changing in an out of the different yukatas.

I wrinkled my nose as I placed the next one on the unwanted pile by the curtain.

Ino was right, only fuchsia suited me with my complexion and my new hair.

I sighed, what I would give just to be a brunette again; the dyed hair thing was getting a little old.

Finally after all her nagging, I managed to pick an obviously dark pink one where it had bright blue miniature apple blossoms on and reoccurred throughout the piece.

I sighed as I smoothed my hands over the material, admiring myself in the mirror until there was a annoyed scoff from outside and I realised that Ino was still waiting outside for me to finish. Hurrying to pick up the various fabrics I rushed to unload them in her arms as I remembered that I needed to get the cakes ready for the festival that would officially begin at twelve.

My eyes searched around the large store for some kind of clock and I managed to spy one behind the counter as I handed over my precious earned money which a tiny frugal part of me yearned to yank the notes back and high tail it out of there without the yukata that I knew I wasn't going to wear again.

Instead, I flinched as the till shut tightly with my money tightly enclosed with it, leaving me with a plastic bag filled with a way too expensive article of clothing.

I turned when I heard angry pants behind me and I looked over my shoulder to see Ino's shoulders shaking from annoyance at leaving her to return the different yukatas to their original shelving or hangers.

I grinned before grabbing her wrist and yanking her out of the store and towards our apartment to win at least a month of free time.

I was almost salivating over the thought of the amount of books and sun tanning time I would get in that by the time I reached my kitchen that there was no more moisture left in my mouth.

…o0o…

Kakashi was just heading back from the monument, scuffing his feet every step that he took, kicking up dust to float in the air as he breezed past.

His fingers that were tucked into his pockets were twitching to clench into fists, however, for the sake of his pride he wouldn't let Sakura's cutting words to have any effect on his person, psychological or physical otherwise.

Sighing, he brushed the bridge of his nose with weary fingers.

He didn't get much sleep after napping next to the temptation that was Jenny. He knew, partially, that she shared this weird attraction between them.

The way that her breath caught anytime he brushed his hand against her body and he would be lying if he said that it didn't affect him with an overwhelming case of dizziness that he could blame on his failed relationship with Sakura.

But he didn't really want to blame anything for the failure that was their relationship; they were just slightly out of time with their affection.

He began too early, she started too late.

Then there was Jenny; she knocked everything out of perspective with her laughs, her cooking and her avid reading skills that he could finally talk to someone other than Jiraiya about the sex scenes.

"_You never wanted me, you just were infatuated with the idea of sleeping with your student," Sakura sneered, giving a dismissive flick of her hair. "You disgusting pervert."_

Kakashi groaned and continued through the town, observing the various stalls being assembled for the festival, the decorations adorning every shop window for the Summer Solstice.

Unaware where his feet had taken him, he realised that he was standing outside the cosplay café that Jenny worked at.

He thought that perhaps, he was in over his head with this girl.

The door was locked but that was to be expected with every shop setting their stalls outside their establishments rather than forcing people to sit inside.

Bypassing the lock, he swept in with the ringing of the bell and he saw the blunette that his thoughts had been gravitating around.

"Hey, we're clo-" Jenny cut off when she saw his shadowing the door way and her mouth suddenly beamed and Kakashi could feel his chest tightening in an odd way that for the life of him he couldn't figure out.

"Kakashi," she breathed, her floured hands nervously trying to neaten her appearance despite the fact that she was making it worse and he couldn't restrain the smirk that appeared.

"Yo."

Waving him over, Jenny retreated back into the kitchen where he could smell the delicious scent of bakery goods.

When he came through the doorway, the sight shocked him into recoiling a step.

Every available surface was covered in confectionary goods, from cakes to cookies to little pastries.

"Who are you planning to feed? The entirety of Konoha?" he reached for one of his favourite deserts of hers: the raspberry and coconut muffins.

His fingers barely made contact before it was slapped away with a startling efficiency that was barely noticed by Jenny as she continued to rush around the kitchen, a frilly apron covering the white tank and blue shorts that covered her appealing derriere.

Kakashi stifled the sound that began in his throat when he saw her bend over to remove yet another cake from the oven, unaware that she was speaking until she peered over her shoulder towards him.

He flushed at his lack of attention.

Now that he had become aware of his…problem with Jenny's aesthetically pleasing features, he was struggling to form words as his dry mouth struggled to contain his over large tongue.

She really was pretty, he leant against a table edge, careful to ensure that he wouldn't knock any of the confectionary goods off the table.

"Kakashi!"

He almost jerked before he realised it was only her trying to get his attention.

"Hm?"

Jenny huffed before undoing her apron and hanging it on one of the various hooks on the wall before combing out her hair from the ponytails and allowing it to rest down her back in a pleasant waterfall.

Containing a groan, Kakashi wished he could just smack some sense into his wayward imagination.

"I said are you going to the festival today?" She asked exasperated as she washed her hands in the sink then she gave him a cheeky grin over her shoulder as she dried her hands on the nearby tea towel. "Or are you going to be Mister Grumpy and hide in your flat?"

He snorted before following her up the stairs to her shared apartment.

"When you say it like that, you make me appear like some anti-social hermit," he said dryly, his hand already closing the front door.

Jenny let a laugh out of her throat, her eyes crinkling in her amusement as she ventured into her room, and he saw a very pretty yukata laying spread on the bed with a blue sash folded next to it.

"Very nice," he commented, his eyes unconsciously placing the fabric wrapped on her body and Kakashi had to hold in the throbbing in his trousers at the thought of her in the arousing yukata.

Internally, he scolded himself at the thought of being a pervert, he had managed to curb his thoughts around her before, it surely shouldn't be hitting him this hard.

He was brought out of his musings by Jenny bring out a towel from a drawer under her bed and beginning to strip in front of him.

Swallowing, Kakashi tried to distract himself from the sight of all the skin that was soon exposing itself to his lecherous eyes. But he couldn't help it.

He felt a flush of heat running under his skin at the sight of the unblemished back and the little Kingfisher tattoo on her left kidney, however he was not prepared when she suddenly turned around and her breasts, clad in a baby pink bra, thrust into his view.

So surprised, he stumbled backwards onto the bed, his head smacking into the wall behind him with a crack and a wave of pain stemmed from the point of contact as he prodded it with a finger.

For the ninja world, Kakashi almost felt ashamed as he barely felt Jenny leaning onto the bed too as she inspected the wound until his eye opened and he saw her breasts hanging right in his face.

A gurgle began in his throat and he clenched his eye shut again to try and restrain every naughty thought that ran through his mind. In the mere moments it took for Jenny's pleasurable scent of mangos to waft over to him, he was this close to tugging on her bare waist and taking her right then and there.

"You okay?" she exclaimed, her hands never ceasing to stop inspecting the back of his skull until she was satisfied that he was back to normal. "Do you need an ice pack?"

Her scent was becoming overwhelming now, especially in the close corners and coupled with his extremely strong sense of smell, he was screwed in all ways but one.

He tried breathing through his mask quicker but found that the scent molecules still came through the fabric and it was exciting seeing the concern on her face and Kakashi couldn't help but compare it to Sakura.

The pinkette would probably care because it was her job as a medic while Jenny probed at the injury, fluttered her hands helplessly showing her lack of understanding of the medical arts yet her worry for him pushed past all the things that were holding her back.

The fact that she was comfortable with him was also found in the fact that she was still walking around in her matching frilly pale pink knickers and bra, as Kakashi tried to steady his uneven heartbeat and focus on the jibberish that seemed to be spouting out of the irate woman in front of him.

"…And you're not even talking! Oh God, what if I made you hit the side of your brain that controls your speech functions? I am a despicable human being!" she clasped her hands to her face as she climbed onto the bed further, her breasts dangling further down, and the lecher inside of him noticed how her nipples were almost falling out of her bra.

Kakashi took his gaze away to try and stare at the wall to curb his desires.

"Oh no!" she cried as she attempted to crawl over his lap to face him. "Now you hate me! I'm so sorry," her arms wrapped around his neck pushing her soft, fabric clad breasts into his neck.

He was going to die.

"I'm so sorry," her hands grasped the back of his head pushing his face even tighter into her sweet smelling skin.

She was going to be the death of him.

"I'm so-" her breath whispered continually across his sensitive ears which wasn't playing fair.

He couldn't take it any longer he admitted with a groan as he flipped her off of his body and pinned her on the soft bouncy mattress.

Jenny gasped, her shimmering blue eyes wide as she stared at his hungered face.

His hand messily snatched down both his mask and the under mask, exposing his lower face to the girl lying with his hips cradled by hers, pressing them both so intimately close.

"Don't say sorry," he said softly before his hands that had been gripping her so punishingly by the wrists loosened, as he relied on supporting his torso as he bent closer to those lips that seemed to be haunting him for the past twenty four hours.

He felt her breath brushing his pursed lips in frantic bursts but not from anxiety.

No, he knew it was anticipation as his mouth finally pressed against her own open one.

They both didn't move as they just revelled in the sparks, his skin became increasingly hot, which was only worsened with the humid air around them. Desire fast tracked its way down to his lower body as he felt Jenny arching her chest into his in an attempt at bringing him closer.

And it worked.

For as he felt her enthusiasm for his touch, he gained confidence and allowed his own lips to move against her own, letting the slick taste of strawberries come into his own.

He pulled away only to grin at her lusted face, her eyes a half mast as her fingers twitched towards him in a futile attempt to bring him back.

"You tell me off for trying to take the cakes," he bent down so his nose ran up her neck, delighting in the shiver that racked up her body. "But I can taste your favourite: strawberry cheesecake."

He moved his mouth only an inch to take her earlobe into his mouth, hearing the short gasp come from her mouth as her hips grinded against his.

"Well what are you going to do about it?" she asked, her voice breathy as she whispered the seductive words into his ear.

Kakashi only rotated his face towards hers, his own droopy eyes gazing into her own star bursts, occasionally darting down to her lips where he could already taste her.

Just as he was leaning in that damning fraction of an inch there was a loud slam in the background that meant that his time with Jenny alone, was over.

Especially since he heard _her_ voice.

Growling, he pushed himself off of her body as quick as a jackrabbit before leaping out of the window.

…o0o…

What…the…?

I lay there panting, trying to figure out what happened, gazing up at the cracked ceiling, my wrists throbbing from his grip that was suddenly lost.

Then, in the background, I heard Ino's abrasive voice and knew that Kakashi didn't want to get caught with me, so soon after…well, whatever happened with Sakura.

But that is when I also heard Sakura's voice, cackling all the way. Maybe that was why he left early, not wanting to see her?

Finding the energy that had been overloaded into my system, I could hear beeping in the background and felt my heart was beating to fast like I had been overloaded with electricity.

Every part of me was yearning for Kakashi's touch back all over me, especially where he rested over me, because my lower place was throbbing in a need that I knew couldn't be satisfied in any other way.

My head felt heavy and I struggled to keep it supported on my shoulders as I tried to shake the bleariness away.

"Lightbulb!" Ino screeched from the living room before I heard thudding footsteps, "are you ready yet?"

She didn't give me time to reply as she barged in, her blue eyes zoning straight in on my almost naked form.

"What are you doing?" she asked flatly and I brought my face up to inspect the new development with dull eyes.

Where moments before I felt like I was overloaded with electricity, caffeine or adrenaline, my body seemed to hit a wall. I fought to keep the low out of my system however, every muscle of mine felt like it ached with the flu and my eyes were dazed, as if stoned and could barely focus on her blurry form.

"Well, you need to clean up quick," she ordered, not taking in consideration of my listlessness, just ignoring everything that wasn't to do with her agenda like usual.

"But I-" I tried to protest but my tongue felt like it was swelling in my mouth and was slowing down, almost to a stop.

"Fine! I'll do it for you," yanking my arm, she yanked me to the shower-tub where she shoved me, none too gently, into the stall, bra and all before switching on the risky water with a groan.

Barely letting me have time to adjust to the icy temperature, Ino pulled my mango shampoo into her hands before pulling me down to her level where she could scrub the goop into my hair, forcing my face into her breasts.

"Mmph!"

I barely managed to breathe after being released from the fleshy confines of Ino's breasts before I was drowning under the lukewarm water, my arms flailing futilely, slowly gaining back the energy that was lost just in the quick kiss that Kakashi gave me.

The shower finished quicker than I anticipated but that was because I think Ino was getting tired of constantly shoving my wet face into her breasts as she lathered my hair and body.

Scrubbing me quickly with a towel, with efficient, nimble fingers, she unsnapped my bra and was on her way to lowering my knickers before I managed to slap the frisking hands away.

Ino rolled her eyes.

"It's not like nothing I haven't seen before you know!"

I just glared before turning around to go to my room, rubbing at my hair furiously.

"We only have half an hour left to get ready and to get to the stall to get everything prepared, so don't spend too long getting ready!" she called through the door where I just glowered at it as I settled down to prepare my make up as I didn't want to even touch the yukata that I didn't even know _how_ to put on.

After everything was done, I just glared at the offending article on the bed, hands on my hips.

"Jenny-san-" Sakura came into my room just as I tried to attempt to cover my lingerie clad body, who just gave a huff at my futile coverage, "why aren't you dressed yet?"

I frowned at her tone. It wasn't exactly bitter, more like she was gloating, but I couldn't understand why.

"Oh, I uh," I wished I could lie but I knew that I would need someone's help in putting it on properly other than when I put it on in the shop where I haphazardly shoved my arms through the sleeves and hoped for the best. "I was just wondering if you could help me with this?"

I bit my lip and tried to hide my flushing face from the smug pinkette, averting my gaze from her lips that were trying to tamp down on their victorious grin and failing.

She prowled over to me, her body unconsciously preparing her meat for the slaughter.

I wanted to hunch my shoulders but I knew of a better defence mechanism.

Kill your enemies with kindness.

Beaming, I turned to the dusty mirror that hung beside the open window hazardly.

"You are so nice," my smile widened further when I saw her mouth open in surprise. "Honestly, though, is it surprising?" I allowed my eyes to wonder up and down her form where I saw she was wearing a red yukata and a black sash. "And with such a pretty yukata!"

I gave a delicate laugh, not meant to insult, more like an attempt at feigning bashfulness and from the way that Sakura seemed shocked, gave me the impression that I was succeeding with flying colours.

"It just sucks that your one isn't as pretty," she tried to say snidely but from the way she had a little genuine half smile on her face, I knew her heart wasn't in it, "but then again it isn't your fault; Ino _did_ pick it."

I let out another laugh, this time it was a little strained as I felt a slight anxiety come out. Maybe Ino did choose the wrong colour?

I indistinctly shook my head, it was fine. It fit with my complexion and my annoyingly unusual hair hue.

The wrapping of the material didn't actually take as long as it probably normally did, but the sheer number of sashes were unbelievable.

Ino came in after I spent the last minutes powdering my face and eyes lightly while Sakura just jabbered on in the background, almost like she was actually comfortable with talking with me, as if the animosity of this entire week had never occurred.

Ino, late as usual (despite her constant snarks that I was the one who made us late), wheeled the confectionary cart out and into the sunlight where we already had many men just waiting for us, their tongues comically lolling out.

I giggled behind a hand as I lay out the various cakes and the men _swarmed_.

Laughing again, I began to pour out the cool lemonade that had been resting in the shade along with some ice cubes.

Through the haze of the day, I never felt any happier than that moment.

I felt the jug over shoot as I spill a little bit of the sweet juice onto my hand as I remember with a flush what made me so happy earlier.

My eyes fluttered shut to try and recount those soft lips caressing mine for that fraction of a second, his grip punishing. I could still feel his needy breaths tickling at my ear as his tongue sneakily came out…

I shrieked as I felt a wet tongue probe around my ear.

Scuttling around, quick as a crab, I flushed and the disgust at what I thought to be a pervert was actually the man of my fantasies anyway.

And from his expression, I knew I hadn't been far from his thoughts either.

"Do you think you can get a break?" his voice was as hot as a chili pepper in dark chocolate and just as smooth and I could have sworn that my knees trembled at the sound.

I nodded my head, my brain barely comprehending half of what I was doing before turning to inform a very bust Ino that I was leaving.

She barely levelled a scowl over her shoulder and a "one hour, and that's it!" before turning with a seductive smile just for the male in front of her.

Sakura on the other hand frowned at the same moment her eyes caught on something over my shoulder before stiffening. I knew who she was looking at, or more like _glaring_ at.

Especially when my hypersensitive body felt his hand push onto my shoulder guiding me further into the festival and away from the two women.

Seeing that side of Sakura confirmed a little part of me that knew that Kakashi had broken up with her.

But then did that mean he was on the rebound call and I happened to be the closest human for all his snuggling needs?

I shook my head; he wasn't so much as a snuggler more than a comforting cuddler.

I was however distracted from my vapid wonderings when I saw a food stall with grilled eel.

Eyes alighting up, I forgot my insecurities and grabbed his arm to get his attention.

Seeing where my finger was pointing, Kakashi gave a roguish chuckle that meant a little, slightly sexual frustrated side of me tingled at the sound as I could imagine it straight after sex. Maybe after the making of baked goods where we would be eating them off the other…

"…JENNY!"

I jerked as I was brought back to the present and saw he was clicking his fingers in front of my eyes, trying to get my attention.

I blushed before taking the morsel of food that was speared viciously through the meaty body of the dead eel. We walked to a private alley so he could bring down his mask without any fear of people peering in on him.

Leaning on opposite sides of the alley, it meant that the light from the end of the shadowed place only allowed me a shaded stare at his pale, ghostly face.

A little swelled at the thought of how easily his strong hands brought down the stubborn mask from his face when around me. While he only did it the other day, I still couldn't get enough of looking at him.

A pointy chin, his face almost angular along with an aristocratic nose and a sliver of a silver scar that bisected the right side of his mouth. The tan line running under his eye line was like a mock super hero mask.

Unknown to me, I hadn't realised that I had been smiling until Kakashi gave me an odd look, his hand brought up to cover his mouth as he piled another portion of the eel into his mouth.

Starting, I was pushed to eat my steadily cooling eel too.

I tried to elegantly eat it.

I really did.

However if any of you have eaten eel, especially without a knife and fork, you know how bloody difficult it is.

In the end, I gave up the appearance of being a beatific princess who eats everything with precise grace and just used my hands as I tilted my head back and curled it all into my mouth, reclining my head back on the bricked wall behind me for support.

Kakashi just looked on in bemusement, not wanting to even comment if my rueful glare had anything to say about it.

Instead, he did something oh so much better.

Stepping that one step that brought him so much closer in that narrow alley, he lifted one gloveless finger up to my face to wipe an errant soy sauce glimmer from my cheek with a thumb before bringing it up to a grinning mouth.

I tried not to gasp but after the contact that was prolonged for an inordinate amount of time I felt a familiar blackness creep on the edges of my vision.

_Don't take me away. Don't do it. Come on just stay awake for a little moment long-_

_The blackness encased my view and I smelt the disinfectant and the horrible bloody images of Susie's carcass lying on a hospital bed meant that my tear ducts tried to open yet my eyes refused to open._

_Speaking of tears, I willed my stoic face to frown (obviously nothing happened). I heard crying. _

"_What I would give just to have her speaking, whining at me like usual," I heard Neil say, and again I felt pressure around my fingers. _

_He coughed like he was clearing away that gunk that you usually get in your throat when you cried, and cried a lot. _

"_I bet she wishes the same thing," a concerned voice said in an attempt at humour, "she sounds," there was a pause and I could have sworn I heard his voice before. _

_In fact if I pushed myself, I could say the deep huskiness was…_

"_You don't have to say anymore Takashi," Neil's voice was now soothing, like he was attempting to console the other man. "You've done enough, I'm sorry you've had to deal with this at the gym."_

_However, I felt my fingers twitching around the weight, desperate to somehow open my eyes because this "Takashi" sounded an awful lot like _Ka_kashi._

_I felt my whole arm jerking upwards in my fury to actually _move.

"_Jenny?" Takashi's voice sounded so hopeful that I was desperate to open my mouth and scream and, and…._

"_Jenny?" The other voice, and it was filled with wonder and I felt another weight around my other hand and I felt something break inside me as my other hand came up and it gripped this Takashi's hand with a punishing grip._

"_Jenny?" his voice said again yet this time it was further away. _

_I broke concentration for barely a moment to figure out where it came from my brain and that was just enough for-_

I was sucked back with a gasp and I was looking up at the sky desperately searching.

Neil? Takashi?

Where are you?

"Jenny?"

I glanced to the side and saw the picture of the voice of Takashi.

Kakashi's naked face looked so concerned that I felt so bad that I had caused him worry…how ever I managed to do it.

"Are you okay?" his hands ghosted down my arms and for once I didn't trip on the multi coloured lights in my vision yet my heart was racing.

I felt almost desensitised to his touch.

And as crazy as it sounded, you know the person's touch who I truly wanted to feel?

Takashi's.

But that was crazy.

I have never talked to him and other than the sound of his voice which was so close to Kakashi's, I shouldn't be able to be swayed so easily to this other human.

…But.

Neil.

He sounded so broken and I didn't even know what was wrong with me. The things I managed to piece together about this-this condition was that prolonged contact with Kakashi and no one else meant that I went into this dark void where I found Neil.

As underhanded as it sounded, I knew this holiday was coming to an end because my family needed me at home.

Through all my musings I hadn't realised Kakashi had continued talking until I had tuned my hearing to his soothing voice which seemed in a state of panic.

"…Then your arms started to disappear," his hands gripped my shoulders, forcing me up from the ground and into his broad chest, hugging me around the waist.

Shocked, my hands automatically came up to hold his shoulders which I felt tremble ever so slightly before relaxing under my touch.

We were both silent for the minute that it took for him to get over my scent. I knew he was sniffing me and I didn't feel weirded out like I would with any other male.

Instead, this felt like a new brand of comforting. You know, like eau de Jenny, Comforter Extraordinaire.

There was a little internal smirk as my wicked mind turned to somewhere darker.

Eau de Jenny, CUM-forter Extraordinaire.

I gave a small chuckle pulling away slightly only to just push forward again pressing my lips against his.

It was just as awesome as it was earlier. I realised how juvenile I sounded but smiling, I opened my mouth allowing Kakashi's spicy tongue to wrap seductively around mine.

Moaning, my fingers roamed from his shoulders to curl and weld themselves to his neck. I was getting hot both figuratively and literally.

My very blood felt like it was heating beneath the possessive grip of his hands pressing on the space above my hips.

My mouth moved with a will of its own.

Moving away, it darted quickly back so it could enclose his thin upper lip with my own hot mouth before recoiling to do the same with the lower one.

Feeling his hands tighten ever more, I gave a gasp, arching to press my body closer, delighting in the sensual smell of the sharp spearmint and tea tree.

Grunting, Kakashi lost whatever protective nature that had been there moments before and propelled me into the wall harshly.

My head cracked painfully against it.

Tearing my mouth away, I scowled. "Ow."

Delirious, I noticed that his eyes were dazed, almost glazed as if he was high and hadn't noticed his blunder before a sharpness cut through and a nulled expression flowed over his. Like a steel mask.

His fingers cupped my skull and instead of doing the standard rom com moment where he would kiss me softly after making such an awkward blunder, he tilted my face away so he wouldn't look me in the face and examine the area.

It wasn't made any better when his mask was quickly moved over his nose.

Hurt, I tried to manoeuver my own face so I could see his avoiding eyes.

"I think you'll live," he said passively, coming up from his crouch to a stand where he extended a hand to me.

While my brows were together, demonstrating my unhappiness, I still took whatever chances I had to grip any skin to skin contact.

Pulling myself up, I thought that I would press my body against his in a sensuous manner.

However, as luck would have it, I seemed to just be filled entirely with awkward.

I over shot.

This meant that I plummeted past him and almost fell flat on my face.

I clenched my eyes tight yet I was reminded on the first time he touched me: a hard, tightening forearm pressed against my sensitive spongy belly, the overwhelming scent of spearmint followed closely by tea tree.

But instead of endearing, it reminded me cruelly of the taste of spiced eel in my mouth which I also knew was transferred from a certain covered mouth.

Turning in the circle of his arms, I expected him to remain close, to try and linger near me too.

However fate was cruel and he let me go as soon as I was standing again, making me stumble from the ripping of his solid form.

And that was how Ino found us just seconds later, standing, staring at the other, guarding our opposing walls.

Both metaphorical and physical.

Him with his emotional walls and me with my reluctance to attempt to breach the barbed wire.

"Jenny!" Ino stormed up, not actually taking in the scene before her until she spotted the way we were standing and not talking and most of the fire in her gaze dissolved soon after. "I uh, need you back at the stall?"

The last bit was posed as a question because at her intrusion both me and Kakashi had refused to stop looking at the other until one of us blinked or avoided the other gaze (that was both me and him respectively.) and snapped our heads towards the blonde.

Realising what she said, I nodded and barely offered a garbled goodbye to the grey haired man and followed after the bouncing blonde who I could tell was just _itching_ to ask what she had unexpectedly walked in on.

…o0o…

_Neil looked disbelievingly at the body that _should_ be lying prone on the bed. Not that he was complaining!_

"_Jenny!" he yelled as if that would help the comatose body to pull out of her mind prison and right into his arms. _

_Martin or well Takashi (he always hated being called his first name) rushed to her other side and was gripping her hand as fiercely as he was. _

_He would have frowned but then he saw the way her arms were spasming and Neil couldn't focus on much other than the fluttering of her lids and the slight scrunching of the skin around her eyes. _

_Come on, she had to wake up!_

_But just as soon as it started, it ended, Jenny, his older sister going as limp as a corpse again. _

_Neil felt water leak from his eyes. _

_That couldn't be it!_

_She had to do more surely…she would wake up any second now, right?_

_He didn't know how long he sat there yet when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder he looked up and instead of Takashi, there stood his father. _

"_It's time to come home son," his normally joyful, warm brown eyes now were dulled and red. "The nurses told me what happened, but you have been here for hours."_

_Neil barely nodded before looking once more at the pale, motionless body, willing it to move once more, to prove that it hadn't been some kind of cruel dream. _

_But looking down one of her arms, there, Takashi was sleeping, his fingers unconsciously linked with Jenny's. _

_In slumber, Neil saw the constant black mask that Takashi wore slipped and he saw the scar that bisected the right side of his mouth and how it turned up in sleepy happiness. _

_If he was a spiritual man, he would have claimed that maybe they were sharing dreams together and that would be why they were smiling. _

_It was true, Neil could've sworn Jenny's body's mouth had turned up slightly on the corner. _

_Tucking one corner tighter around her prone body once more, he left with his throat closing up like a chronic asthmatic._

…o0o…

It was late.

Well, not _late_ late. More like late afternoon, close to dusk.

And I was lying foolishly on my bed, just waiting for Kakashi to come to my window in that ninja way he has, already in my pyjamas except one of my risky whimsical buys. Something that wouldn't be seen by anyone _but_ my boyfriend.

…Not that Kakashi was my boyfriend but.

I shook my head, glaring up at the ceiling.

…but I wouldn't mind having that to wake up to everyday like usual.

That face constantly giving that bemused half smile and I couldn't wait for the laugh. Just the anticipation alone…

Before I knew it I was out of my bed, finding my rubber coat and zipping it up over my pyjamas after I tied my long hair into two pony tails and just like that a plan formed.

I would casually be like "oh I needed someone to cut my hair" then he would be as hospitable as usual, I'd take off my coat, he'd see my sexy pyjamas and then we would have crazy sex until morning.

Yes, that sounded a pretty fool proof plan.

Admittedly that odd air after we kissed the second time was worth noting, but I was thinking maybe it was the eel. I mean, I felt pretty ill after that.

But then again, it could have been Kakashi's reaction that got me scared.

I shook my head again, powering out of the doorway into the street. This was not the time to get cold feet.

I was going to do it. All the sexual tension had come down to this.

I couldn't fail right?

And maybe on the plus side if all else fails, it would send me maybe permanently to that dark zone, like it was something that had to be powered with Kakashi's touch alone. It would be scary at first but it seems like I am that much closer to getting free.

My staccato steps slowed slightly when I thought about leaving Kakashi. That would be sad, but what's more important to me?

An imaginary world where I have possibly become strongly attracted to one of the characters, or my family that I have loved and missed for the entirety of my twenty three years?

It wasn't a hard decision. Or shouldn't be.

Finally, I reached the treacherous stairs and was climbing them, wary of any on looker that would happen to notice my falls would notice my underwear.

Knocking on the door, it felt odd since I didn't have the key anymore to it anymore and couldn't just walk straight on in, but still I waited.

After a minute I considered knocking again but just as I was about raise my fist, I heard shuffling behind the thin wood and the tell tale clicks of the numerous locks being undone and un chained.

Putting a smile on my face, I wasn't expecting to be greeted by this dreary Kakashi.

All thought of me seducing him went out of the window when I saw his face.

"What's wrong?" I asked, coming in without any prompting yet just as I came in I saw a woman lying on the couch who didn't bother covering her only mesh covered breasts as she lay with a seductive grace that I could only imagine to imitate.

I felt my heart pumping literally moments before that yet when I saw the woman it suddenly went _ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-CRACK. _

I felt the hurt snapping through my synapses as I felt the remaining pieces of my heart go through a rubbish chute to be thrown into a recycler which would try and mend the broken, stupid thing to try and be usable again.

However, I wasn't too sure that it would be able to be fixed by something so monumental as this.

Shuffling my feet, I cleared my throat before turning back to Kakashi who had just been watching me silently, not offering me any explanation, no apology on his face.

Just like that, my trust where I hated Sakura shifted over to Kakashi. I could see why she wasn't as trusting as I would be.

Admittedly someone who is cheating tends to be more susceptible to the thought of the significant other cheating but I digress.

I needed to get out of there.

"Well, I see you have company," I passed by the narrow sliver between him and the open doorway, sucking myself as thin as possible so as to not touch any part of that arsehole. "I'll maybe see you." _Never._

I was making my way down the stairs when Kakashi thought it would be a great idea to follow me and even beat me down the stairs when it became obvious I was avoiding looking at him.

Scowling, I tried to push past him as he kept annoyingly side stepping to get in my way to block me from leaving.

When he pushed me back, I finally snapped.

"Would you _stop_ that?" I snarled, my fists clutching at my sides and for a nonviolent person, they were itching to punch him square in the nose.

"Not until I explain," his tone was still infuriatingly calm and it made me feel childish that he was still managing to keep a cool front up while I was blowing up. "It was what it looked like, I'm not going to deny that, but there _is_ a valid reason."

I folded my arms, huffing a breath that pushed my fringe up in a spiked blue wave and arched a brow which I thought conveyed everything from _go on, I'm waiting_ to _this better be good_ and to my personal favourite _I'm hating your very guts right at this very moment_.

Although, much to my distaste, it had a little bit of my insecurity and my pathetic part of me that couldn't help but hit myself for seeing this coming.

He was a sophisticated thirty four year old. The reason why he had that thirty-plus woman back in his flat was because they didn't have these whimsical emotions of the early twenties.

That or I was boring. Not large breasted enough. Skinny enough. Kind enough. Maybe he liked them meaner?

But I was brought out of my musings when Kakashi finally broke the unintentional staring contest by rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Rebound."

I waited.

That was it.

My scowl intensified in addition to the little bit of my heart that I didn't realise remained followed the rest of the muscle into the recycler.

"Well, thank you, I now feel better about the situation," I rubbed my nose furiously with one of my knuckles, "but if you excuse me, I think I have left some-something in the oven."

I tried to push past him again yet his infuriatingly put himself in my way again.

"Right, you are really starting to annoy me," I put my hands on my hips, my left index finger flicking up and down with nervous energy although at the time I tried to convince myself that it was an angry energy.

Kakashi held his hands up in surrender.

"Not you," he nodded his head towards the flat. "Her."

Sighing out a sharp breath, I batted my fringe back out of the way of my face.

"Glad we cleared that up, now," I stared him dead in the eye, "_let. Me. Pass._"

"No."

I didn't know I had done it until the pain exploded in my hand as my hand retracted from punching him in the face.

Although, my injury was already healing, Kakashi only bent slightly back to roll with the punch, his nose bursting, both from a broken bone and from the blood rushing out.

Shaking my hand, I found that making all the shattered bones click together mean that they were going together quicker, mending the split skin.

"Let. Me. Pass."

Holding a hand over his nose, trying to staunch the blood, Kakashi just glared over his pale hand.

"_No_."

While my hand drew back for another punch, the grey haired ninja moved for a man half his age and caught my wrist, twirled high behind my back, making it too painful to move.

"You get one free pass," he said mildly, his hand only tightening on my wrist in a weird squeeze, "two would be pushing it a bit, don't you think?"

"Fuck you," I spat, so tempted to dislocate my shoulder because I would at least know that it would heal again.

But then I remembered I had a low pain threshold and decided to let him stay there despite that fact that bending over this far would be raising my coat up and if Kakashi decided to look down would see the trailing lace. I wouldn't want to explain that.

The embarrassment would send me into punching him again and then I would have to ultimately dislocate my shoulder to get away from him.

"I know you would love to but we must discuss more important things," he thankfully released me and rolling my shoulder, I resigned myself to be staying there a while, just withstanding his excuses, justifying for leading me on and then get with another woman.

Sitting on the low wall, I closed my eyes and leaned back, allowing the dusk light to illuminate my lids a bluey orange. You think that doesn't happen? It does and it is as rare as a blue moon.

"I didn't kiss her," he said suddenly as he settled next to me.

I refrained for giving a sarcastic retort, but it was just itching to be released. Instead, I preferred for him to finish so I would be able to leave quicker.

As much as I hated it, there was a small part of me that was delighted with the fact that he didn't. Like he hadn't just gone straight from me to another woman's lips. I would have felt like he would have been comparing us the entire time.

"I didn't even undress her," he said, his hands clasped between his knees.

I was so tempted to say something and again I only just restrained it, allowing him to continue.

"She just dresses like that usually," he said conversationally, "but I was going to discuss a proposition with her, just like I was going to discuss the arrangement with you."

I couldn't help but snort at that but just glared at the other side of the road, unwilling to give him my eyes.

"I don't want you to be a rebound."

I flinched. No matter how hard I tried to hide it. I flinched, winced, whatever you want to call it but it meant that what I thought was a solid mask broke with just those words.

It wasn't like I was _desperate_ to be the rebound for him, but I didn't want to be completely overlooked, deemed unworthy.

But I supposed with this kind of man, that was just how the dice rolled.

"Not because you aren't attractive, that's not it," he rushed to reassure me, despite now that he said it like that meant that he saw my face and ultimately was trying to spare my feelings. "It's just that I want more than that."

Sparing my feelings and-wait what?

He wants…more?

I finally looked at him and saw him thumbing his way through the different knuckles.

"I want more and I want to make sure that you don't get under the illusion that I'm on the rebound on you and I want to ensure that if I _was_ on the rebound, I didn't want you to be the casualty. Not even to mention that if I didn't give Sakura the impression of mourning her loss, and got with you straight after, she could make life very difficult for you."

Well, when he put it that way, he did seem less like a dick.

Kakashi finally brought his grey eye to bore into my being, waiting for me to say something.

Instead, I brought an already glowing hand to his face, my body reacting to this man against my will.

I pinched his nose, unsure of the true medical procedure to fix a broken nose before I just followed what my body was unconsciously doing and quickly jerked it to the side. While he barely flinched at the crack, I gagged.

Allowing the glow to wane and fade, I adjusted his mask so it covered his face better since I moved it down to heal him.

I was slightly unnerved because he never moved his gaze from my face so I reluctantly brought my eyes up to his and held it despite my heart unintentionally piecing itself back together against my better judgement.

"I'm going on a mission for a week," he continued after a moment of silence, "I want you under no illusions that I won't be having sex, it _is_ a seduction mission."

He paused, knowing me so well that he knew I had to adapt to the news that he wasn't sure that he wanted me and was possibly going to realise during lots of rounds of hot sex that why have me when he could have a buxom blonde? Or that he could have someone who was more experienced or-

"When are you leaving?" I croaked, forgetting to clear my throat to remove any sign of weakness.

I concealed my wince easier this time and he didn't call me out on it.

"As soon as I am done packing," his eye seemed to rove over my face, hunting, delving for some meaning or _something_ on my face that I didn't know what.

Hopping up, I looked away from him. "Oh, sorry," I stuttered, swiping at the seat of my raincoat, despite the lack of dirt gathered but I was suddenly nervous and I didn't understand and I knew I was panicking. "I'll let you get back to your, you know, packing."

Kakashi stood up too, his hands reaching for my shoulders, I skirted out of the way, giving a weak smile and an even weaker excuse.

His hands almost fluttered before resolutely falling to his sides.

"Jenny."

I flicked a finger around my hair, just staring at our feet, willing him to move so I could go home and wallow for a bit.

While I prayed he would move, I wish I had been slightly more specific such as where he moved. For example, I _wouldn't_ have had him step towards me, coming into my personal bubble as much as my body delighted in the new, unexpected turn.

I didn't even flinch when he brought a finger next to mine to curl around the same lock, our skin brushed once and to me it was like an electrical charge where my body felt invigorated. _Alive_.

"I just want you to know," he leaned in closer. So much so that I could have sworn I felt the vibrations of his chest reverberating down to his finger which connected to mine. "I thought about your lips ever since you kissed me," he lowered his voice further and got even closer to me and I let him. "And even after this all is over and you hate me, I'm glad that out of all my fantasies, you were better."

And with that he disappeared with a _poof_.

I gaped at where his feet previously stood.

_His fantasies?_

I held in my squeal but I couldn't stop the beam the came over my face despite all that had just transpired.

It also meant that I all but skipped home. Even turning in the wrong direction didn't bring me down, I just hummed as I crawled into bed and sighed, staring happily at the ceiling.

…o0o…

Anko didn't move from the window that shared the same wall as the front door as he poofed in behind her.

"So what did you tell her?" she asked as she watched the girl lightly walk back the way she came a slight skip in her step.

"That you were my rebound and I was going on a seduction mission this week," he replied, standing behind her, also watching Jenny closely although Anko knew it wasn't just from worry since his eyes seemed to be a bit lower than appropriate.

And if he was half the ninja people made him appear to be, he would have noticed what she was wearing underneath the raincoat. And it wasn't something a girl of her age should be wearing to bed if you are sleeping alone.

"Why didn't you just tell her the truth?" she asked, turning around with her arms folded across her chest.

Kakashi shrugged turning too, heading towards the kitchen.

The woman followed close on his heels, her mouth tightening in anger.

"Why Kakashi?"

The man in question calmly filled up a glass of water and sucked some of it through his mask before he contemplated her.

"To protect her," he finally said, draining off the remainder of the drink.

"How is _not_ telling her that a crazy psycho is out to perform human testing on her, _protecting_ her?" she demanded, her hands moving to her hips as she glared at him.

"I'm taking care of it," he defended himself, leaning against the counter.

While he looked the picture of calm, Anko knew better from the way his eye was tighter than usual and not from a smile.

"That's not an answer," she growled, her fingers almost turning into claws.

He paused, mulling over his options before he carefully continued.

"I failed her once by letting her continue in a week of fear from this bastard," he said, his eye hard, "why would I let her suffer the same fate if only we are going to catch him by the end of this week?"

The growl erupted from her throat.

"Better to be paranoid and wrong than be ignorant and wrong."

Kakashi sighed, raising his eye patch to rub at the eye lid tiredly, his upper face haggard.

"Did you think I would actually leave her unprotected?"

Anko started before looking down at her feet abashed.

"She will be fine and when we get back, we will have killed him and brought his head for the Hokage," he stated firmly, walking out of the kitchen before calling over his shoulder, "you can sleep on the couch, we have an early start tomorrow."

"Blood thirsty I like it," she caught the pillow and blanket that he lobbed down the hallway from his room, "but I thought you said we are leaving tonight?"

Kakashi poked his head around the doorway, an actual grin alighting his eye.

"I'm worried, not dead, and Kakashi no Sharingan is late for everything."

And with that, he shut the door behind him.

…o0o…

Officially the smut is nigh! Chapter eighteen people. Written up!

Oh and sorry for the late update, my wifi was down for an entire week D:


	17. Misery

Misery – The Maine

"**I just want you to know," he leaned in closer. So much so that I could have sworn I felt the vibrations of his chest reverberating down to his finger which connected to mine. "I thought about your lips ever since you kissed me," he lowered his voice further and got even closer to me and I let him. "And even after this all is over and you hate me definitely, I'm glad that out of all my fantasies, you were better."**

**And with that he disappeared with a **_**poof**_**.**

**I gaped at where his feet previously stood. **

_**His fantasies?**_

**I held in my squeal but I couldn't stop the beam the came over my face despite all that had just transpired. **

**It also meant that I all but skipped home. Even turning in the wrong direction didn't bring me down, I just hummed as I crawled into bed and sighed, staring happily at the ceiling.**

…o0o…

He was a disgrace. There was no other word for it.

When I walked into the bar, there he was lolling on the bar top, silent thankfully yet still embarrassing.

For example, the sight of Sakura smirking slightly in the corner with Sasuke just made the whole situation worse. Although unseen by the midnight haired male, there was still a glimmer of regret and pity and sympathy in her face.

I went over to them because I knew that it was Ino who was standing next to the pinkette who sent for me to come and pick Kakashi up.

"How long has he been like this?" I asked lowly, unsure how great Kakashi's hearing would be drunk.

Ino didn't even have to turn around to look at the pitiful image of the grey haired man and an empty shot glass being twirled badly in once nimble fingers.

"About an hour," she replied, her lip curling up in disgust, "he came in and started doing shots. The bar man cut him off about half an hour ago and so far, he hasn't even moved."

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose which actually ached from the stress of this situation.

The Kakashi I knew never did this.

His seduction mission was last week and so far all he had done was go to a dive bar which Sakura just _happened_ to be at and get hopelessly drunk.

Even I was beginning to find it pathetic and I was dreading the day when someone would come in running claiming Kakashi was in the hospital from alcohol poisoning.

Waving a weak goodbye, I trundled over to the almost comatose male, a ready smile there on my face even though happy was the last thing I felt at that point.

"Come on big guy," I sighed, looping an arm over my neck in a practiced movement. "Let's get you home, alright?"

There was a mumbled reply by my ear accompanied by his heavy weight that I would have normally staggered under had I not become accustomed to this new drunk Kakashi.

"You people," he managed to garble out somewhere on the way home, past the hospital doors with an ease, "you people, you are my friends."

I sighed and was about to nod before I restrained myself. I learnt my lesson the hard way from when I had nodded my head meant that the prop that was holding Kakashi's own head upright, tumbled to the side and inevitably brought me down with him or risk my clothes ripping.

Reaching his stairs, we struggled up the bloody safety hazards and I was panting by the end and I was just wishing for a bed.

But I knew that I would be camping at his place again to look after him, to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid.

Leaning against the wall, Kakashi followed my lead except using his forearm to press against the wall behind my head, barely supporting himself away from me.

Despite his intoxication, I found him immensely attractive and it didn't help anything that I had kissed him once already. But being presented with his tempting self constantly this past week? Making passes at me every time he got drunk?

It was almost getting too difficult to manage anymore.

I shook my head; I needed to get him inside, a glass of water and some paracetamol, leave it on the bedside. I felt a wave of fatigue overcome my face as it fell in exhaustion, then I supposed, I guess I would take a night cap.

Pushing him off of me, which I sensed some reluctance from him (or my wishful thinking thought so), I dug my hand into his trouser pocket in a non-gropey kind of way.

It's just that whenever I asked for the keys he would leer and go "take them out yourself" he usually acted like a petulant child and couldn't be weaselled to take them out himself.

Even when I lied and said that I would offer myself to him afterwards if he was a "good boy" but this drunk Kakashi could _not_ be reasoned with much to my frustration.

But the reoccurring thing he always demanded of me was _I_ had to be the one to take him home, _I_ had to be the one to take his keys out of his pocket.

And my hardest one:

_I _had to stay and sleep in his bed.

It was so hard because he always cuddled me like a teddy bear before drifting to sleep, leaving me to try and not sink in to the embrace as I glared up at the ceiling, waiting for his limbs to move.

They never did.

I sighed as I finally wrangled the keys into the various locks and shoved the stiff door open with juddering pushes.

Collapsing on top of his body as I dropped him ungracefully onto the couch, Kakashi actually _giggled_.

I rolled my eyes.

What I wouldn't give just to have him normal again.

"The devil, shut," he slurred rolling and tried pointing at the door at the same time, only achieving in falling off the couch, smacking his hand on the coffee table which was just a glorified old door on top of some old breezeblocks. "The devil he can't come in."

He rolled on his back, snatching down his mask roughly, breathing deeply.

I sighed, going into the kitchen to retrieve that glass of water but then I thought of his hyperactive mood and changed to sweet tea.

By the time I had boiled, steeped and sweetened the earl grey pairing it with a cracker, I hadn't realised that this meant Kakashi had the time to get naked and sit back down on the floor, his back propped with the lower part of the sofa.

Barely withholding a shriek I quickly balanced the plates on the coffee table, trying to shield my eyes although there was the naughty part of me that was just trying to get a peek, maybe refer to it later.

_Bad Jenny_, I scolded as I removed the blanket from the couch corner, I only just realised that Kakashi was randomly mumbling.

"…can't come in…yeah, that's right," I sighed before pushing the blanket blindly over his crotch area.

Finding him naked on the floor wasn't exactly what I wanted to walk back into, but how ever was I to reason with him?

Settling myself beside him I handed him the mug filled with the hot water tempered with the cold that I poured in after the last debacle where he spilled it all over his chest.

I shook my head. Honestly it was like looking after a toddler.

I hated toddlers.

Leaning against the lower half of the sofa too, I sighed as I finally relaxed my feet after being on them constantly.

After the Summer Solstice, Ino's café had increased in popularity for both males and females, so much so that I said that she would need to hire more waitresses and at least a cook hand.

Maybe even think of expanding.

"What-what do you think of me?" a voice slurred into my ear and instead of the expected sharp alcohol scent, his body wash of spearmint and tea tree over powered it. "Whe-when you," he hiccoughed, "look at me?"

I could feel his gaze yet I refused to look at him. I knew if I did, I wouldn't be so kind.

While it was two weeks ago that he kissed me, I still wished that he hadn't slept with anyone else though I could understand his reasons, even if they didn't make sense to the lesser beings such as myself.

"I think I'm heading insane," I smirked wanly to myself before indicating that he should drink the tea with a bored wave of my hand.

After conceding to his demand for me to blow across the top, he drank it without any difficulty.

I gaped.

It usually took him close to half an hour to even think of finishing the tea or anything that I usually gave to him.

Yet this time it took barely a few gulps before it was finished and being replaced on the table, his head barely lolling from moving forward, unlike usual.

I narrowed my eyes.

Slowly, everything started to piece together.

The lack of alcohol on his breath.

The lucidity in his gaze.

The clear liquid could be mistaken for vodka…or water.

One beat.

Two.

I slapped him across the face.

His face remained away from me as I stood up angrily, so tempted to shove my foot straight into his chest.

When he turned around, while his face was bare instead of being pale, there was an angry red hand shaped mark on one cheek.

"It took you long enough," he commented mildly, any sign of slurring or drunkenness leaving him with a dismissive flick of his grey hair as he threaded his fingers through his scraggly hair distastefully.

My mouth tightened and I was so close to hitting him again, instead I clenched my fists as I glared down at him.

"Why are you being like this?" I asked, my hands just gesturing to all of him as his arms spread wide on the couch seats, crucifying him as his shoulders shrugged.

He just smirked and I felt the little part of my heart which repaired itself break again until I saw the calculating gleam in his eye.

Where he thought I would break, I decided I wouldn't play his game; I would throw it in his face and storm out.

I didn't have to deal with this asshole complex he had going.

"Oh, I see," I crowed, "you are scared."

I shook my head, walking around the back of the sofa, not seeing the need of my role in his self-destruction.

"Jenny…" he didn't even bother trying to get up.

"No, I see what's happening," I whirled on him, my finger pointing accusingly at him, "you are running scared what with you being out of a relationship that failed and so you want to look for women elsewhere. Yet you got stuck with me,"

I snorted.

"But then I made an idiot decision which you responded in kind-"

"What idiot decision did you make?" Kakashi frowned actually standing up now, walking over to me with the long strides of his, his shoulders actually appearing tense.

I stared balefully up at him.

"I kissed you," I stated when it appeared he was generally confused about the whole thing, "you panicked and now you are pushing me away because you're afraid that I'll be another Sakura and that if we got together you would mess it up or I'd mess it up, ruining our friendship."

I stepped closer, digging my finger into his chest.

"And you know what? You have already ruined it, because I am done," I turned around and just as my hand pressed on the door knob and rotated it harshly, pulling it towards me, I was stopped forcefully.

Two hands had slammed down on the thin wood which happened to cage me in against the thin wood and the hard body behind me.

Pivoting, a scathing reply on my tongue, everything in my mouth dried up as I realised in his rush to keep the door closed, he lost his hold on the blanket that I put over his crotch.

So he was standing there…naked.

And I suddenly wasn't as angry as I should have been.

And our faces were closer than I should've allowed.

"The kiss wasn't a stupid mistake," his voice was now soft but it was firm, just like I knew his lips would be. "But I had to give at least the impression that I was suffering without Sakura or she would have made life hell for you. I told you this, so what did you expect?"

While this was supposed to be a heartfelt moment where he was giving me a secret, I pressed myself closer, still on the flats of my feet yet our chests were pressed together.

"I _expected_ this," gripping the back of his head I forced his mouth on mine.

It wasn't sweet, nor was it violent. All it was, was a fury to get the other closer.

My mouth was slick with his as I opened my mouth hotly, his own following suit but, bless him, I could feel himself restraining doing _something_ for his hands rested only chastely on my waist.

Wanting more, I shoved myself to my tip toes to bring us closer, my arms tightening as my feet were almost off the ground as my tongue gently came out to touch against his.

Kakashi jerked back before coming back twice as strong this time, holding nothing back as he slammed me backwards into the door which I could have sworn splintered but over the ringing of my ears, the only thing I could focus on was how one needy hand reached down and gripped my bottom.

My body flamed with a scorching heat immediately and all the confusion of this past week evaporated under the burning passion of his touch.

Tilting my head, I allowed my lips to slant trying to taste more of the spearmint, my eyes at half-mast as I felt the delirium of his kiss, swelling to expand the synapses everything so I was just in a happy bubble that could barely focus on anything else.

I couldn't feel my limbs as I barely clung to his naked, bare body that was ripe for the taking.

Resting a forearm on the door behind me heavily, Kakashi ripped his mouth and tongue away from mine, bending down to kiss his way across my jaw line until he gave a surprising open mouth kiss against my throat. I gasped, my arms holding him where he was.

All of me was praying he would continue and for once I didn't even care that his touch was inflicting me to feel light headed or my vision to trip in pretty colours like a hallucinogen.

I felt my lips move and I think I said his name as his hand came and cupped the apex of my thighs boldly. Whimpering, I hooked my leg around his hip, feeling the flush of blood flooding to my cheeks, I accidently arched my hips and I was reminded of his bare crotch.

Especially when he grunted hotly into my ear, his grip tightening on my thigh and even slamming once more into the door like a savage.

And I loved it.

It was only just beginning until there was a knock on the door behind me.

I wanted to whisper to him to ignore it but from the way he froze up, I knew it was something bad.

Just as I was about to ask him what was wrong, a crude and very female voice came from the other side.

"Hey Kakashi, I know you are on the other side," the female voice called out, "I kind of want to get this fuck over with."

I panted, both from the waning arousal and disbelief at this man in front of me.

I wanted to believe ever so much that he wouldn't have tried to get with me even though he knew that there was another woman, that he told me he had been sleeping with as a rebound, coming round ten minutes later.

"You-" I couldn't even finish what I was going to hurl at him.

Shaking my head, I bent down grabbed my bag.

Snatching the door open, this time Kakashi was wise enough to not stop me from opening the door and leaving the flat.

…o0o…

Anko watched as the blunette shoved past her and down the poor stairs with a few less than graceful tumbles before turning to the moron in front of her.

"Why didn't you tell her?" she demanded following the naked man inside, watching him apathetically as he re clothed himself.

"Tell her what?" he shot back, "That we lost the trail for her psycho torturer-slash-stalker?"

"Yes!" she cried flinging her hands to the ceiling, "instead of all this pathetic pretending to be drunk so she would come home with you so you could keep an eye on her!"

She angrily prodded a finger into his naked chest that had been caressed by the blunette only moments before.

"Furthermore, if you want to sleep with her, just tell her!"

"She wouldn't want to do it with me," he replied surly, turning to his drinks cabinet which he actually hid under the door which served as his coffee table.

Grabbing the sake he pour himself a generous dose into his mouth before swallowing the burning beverage.

"Well _now_ she doesn't after you were a Class A tool to her," Anko responded, her hands that so frequently were on her hips, returned there.

Shaking his head, Kakashi actually began to drown his sorrows in the drink.

…o0o…

I had enough of this.

There was frankly no point in heading for him. I was obviously wrong about the whole "he's just running scared".

No, he was just a major arsehole.

It was the next day and I was on my break day so I thought I would get some frustration out while running.

I had found a major path earlier in my abandonment in this village that didn't run past Kakashi's nor anyone for that matter

It was quite secluded.

Feeling the familiar thrum of blood under my skin I let out a sigh of relief as I just pushed myself forward in my jog.

The soft pads of my footfalls the only thing ruining the birds chirping in the background; however it was still nice to listen to it so early in the morning.

The path curved to follow behind some houses with the forest to my left and the residents to my right. I passed a dog walker and I gave a nod of greeting before continuing on.

It was only then that I heard the other footfalls.

Slowing, I glanced over my shoulder warily before I internally groaned.

Who should it be? The person that I was trying so hard to burn my anger out through running.

Kakashi caught up and I silently acknowledged him as we began to run again.

I knew that I wouldn't be able to outrun him and from the way his eye tightened in determination, I also knew that I wouldn't be able to get rid of him easily if he was so resolute in jogging with me.

But my emotions were in a turmoil and I didn't know how I felt about him but I knew even if he wanted to get with me, he couldn't have helped this Anko coming round. Although he probably would've gotten rid of her if I gave him the chance.

But I wasn't going to apologise, technically I should still be angry for the whole pretending to be drunk thing. I wasn't, but I should be.

We continued running in silence, but what was once comforting, now was filled with tension both of the sexual and of the angry kind.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, I had to really strain to hear it, but when I did, all my anger deflated out and my feet slowed to a stop.

Seeing I had fallen behind, Kakashi stopped a metre or so away from me, just looking at me over the top of his mask.

My breaths came out in little pants and my heart was beating both from aerobic respiration and anticipation. He was giving me the eye and I knew I was too stupid to stop falling into them.

I knew I had to go back to my own place but I also knew that Kakashi right there, was willing to give me whatever I desired in penance.

And right then I wanted him badly.

Madly.

A lot could be gained but then there would be a lot lost too.

However: I. Didn't. Care.

Striding over to him, Kakashi only just brought his hands up in time to catch my flying body which propelled into him and his lips parted in surprise, especially when I tore down his mask and laid one on him.

…o0o…

Kakashi faltered a step as he felt her warm body, slightly damp from the early morning moisture and the sweat of exercise.

He only had the moment to return the kiss and return it he did.

Grinding their lower halves together, one hand came to fist in her single ponytail, angling and slanting their mouths so he could get the optimum taste of her minty toothpaste and breathing sharply through his nose as he caught the delicious and hypnotising scent of mangoes.

The hand resting just above her derriere became impatient as it moved lower boldly and he felt her jerk in surprise before she shockingly pressed herself even closer enthusiastically.

He knew he shouldn't be doing this what with the crazy maniac on the loose but his blood was thrumming convincingly in his ears, warning him if he would pull away he could never breathe nor think straight. It would just…

Be…

Best…

He groaned as he felt the vicious hair pulling coming from Jenny and he aided her journey up his body by using that one hand on her arse and yanking her body to coil around him like a vine, encouraging her muscled legs to twine at his back.

Going to the chain link fence to the side, he felt himself becoming lightheaded, much alike when he was in close quarters all the previous times. It was like he was a battery and he was being drained by a high powering lightbulb.

But he didn't want to let go.

Her scorching mouth was pressed against his and it was his relief of feeling all his emotions being bottled in an iceberg, melting under her furious kiss.

And from the way that Jenny kept whimpering into his touch and panting against his mouth as she pulled away only for a sliver of air before diving in again, she felt the same way.

Mouthing his way down her jaw, his ear was sensitive enough to hear the way her panicked breaths were wheezed through her chest and he could feel the thundering of his heartbeat pounding against his ribs painfully.

He pulsed his hips in a sharp movement drawing a groan from both of them as their sexes pounded against the other.

Breathing hotly against her neck, one hand that was in her hair, smoothed its way down to the chest and felt her restrained breasts through the sports bra and what he would give just to bring out his hidden kunai and slice through it so he could bury his face-

He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt his limbs going through her arms as they became insubstantial.

Worry spiked as he pulled away and sure enough, looking down at her arms, he saw the way in which she was turning invisible and from the looks of it, Jenny didn't even realise.

Torn, he couldn't dwell on the matter any longer because of the way his feet lifting off the ground meaning that he was upside down as the strong, unseen force continued taking him all the way into the scorching sun and-

_-Martin woke up with a gasp, a hand to his chest as his panicked eyes looked around the room frantically._

_Feeling an erection pounding against the confines of his briefs, he tucked his head against his raised knees, just catching his breath. _

_Ever since Neil had shown him his comatose sister lying in the bed, he couldn't help but think of the 'Jenny' in his dreams and the one lying on the hospital bed._

_And how other than hair colour, they were exactly the same. _

_His breath had caught as he traced over all the various scars that were _exactly_ the same in his dreams. _

_It was enough that he almost believed in supernatural occurrences. _

_But he wasn't Sam and Dean. _

_There was no such thing as sharing dreams with a girl in a coma. Or so he thought. _

_He had been back every day and whenever he caught her hand in his, he could feel a slight twitch of her fingers and when he accidently fallen asleep while keeping a vigil at her bedside and then woken up he swore the pulsing and twitching of her arms and fingers and toes were more pronounced. _

_Where he was attracted to the luminous blunette in his dreams, it was nothing compared to the beauty that lay on the bed. _

_He saw the way that she had the same indefinite crow's feet at the corner of her eyes and if he stared close enough he saw the tiny dimple that she had only on her left cheek._

_This infatuation was also made all the more embarrassing when Neil caught him in there. But he hadn't done anything other than smile sadly, resting a hand on his shoulder._

"_I think that my sister is lucky to have you too."_

_Martin groaned. He didn't know what else to do. _

_He noticed the less corporeal she became in the dreams, the more she twitched in reality. _

_They were one and the same but Martin couldn't help but think that he was taking advantage of her in both worlds. _

_As made evident by his hard on that was just _killing_ him not to aid. _

_Glancing out the corner of his eye and the blaring red digits on the alarm clock, he grimaced. _

_Three o'clock in the morning was too early to shower for work since he didn't actually start until eight. _

_Rubbing a worn and scarred hand down his face, he came to a decision instantly. _

_He needed the shower because he needed to see where his dream would leave off. _

…o0o…

I awoke with a whimper as my aching body sat up in a familiar bed that wasn't mine as shown by the throwing stars duvet.

This blacking out was getting worse.

This time I had been trapped in my body again but my eyelids flicked and I could make out a blurred form before they shut resolutely again. My ears continued to work as I heard the exclamation of surprise and a call of "doctor!"

My fingers twitched in their need to be pulled to my face to get rid of an itch on my nose.

Things got slightly blurry as time continued and I could feel myself being tugged back into my dreams with Kakashi, but I hung on long enough to hear:

"…capacity has risen, I predict she could waken in as little as a couple of weeks."

Before there was a roar in my ears as I was sucked back to here.

Swinging my legs out from the bed, I heard the thumps of Kakashi moving around in the other room and I hesitated.

What do I do?

We have been back and forth faster than the snapping of a neck. I've been angry with him, happy with him then angry again then finally so completely involved with him that it just seemed like all the messy emotions before that one kiss seemed unnecessary.

Could I even face him being as bi-polar as I had been acting?

I knew who I reminded myself as and I almost wanted to check my hair for shades of pink in my shame.

But if I was ever to get out of this flat, I needed to go past the kitchen where I suspected he was from the sounds of the cupboards thumping.

Inhaling deeply, I set my shoulders as I pushed myself up from the bed and walked to the door.

It wouldn't be awkward. It wouldn't.

I hesitated once again.

Maybe it wasn't too late to use the window?

Returning to the bed, I climbed to the one above the bed that led to the nearby flat roof of a neighbouring block, I began to clamber upwards.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I heard the droll voice comment from the door way.

I didn't have to look back at him to know that he was leaning against the door jamb, his Icha Icha probably hanging by his side, thumb saving his page as one eye would be looking at me lazily.

But look I did.

My imagination wasn't half bad as there my pervert was, leaning against the jamb, one leg crossed over the other, while his arms were folded, and there, dangled the orange book limply.

I gave an uncertain bashful smile, climbing back down from the bed to sit on the end instead.

"I was just-uh," I scrubbed my nose forcefully, feeling for non-existent sleeves at my wrists, for some kind of cover against a conversation that I wasn't wanting to have.

"Trying to escape through a window?" Kakashi offered helpfully, and a hand came up to pull down his mask so I saw the extent of his smile which looked…indulgent?

Well, smiling was a good sign right? I didn't need to worry.

I clasped my hands between my knees, not looking up at him still, my embarrassment was still tangible.

There was an intentional scuffing as Kakashi moved towards me. I knew he could be as silent as the night but was choosing to alert me to his presence and the way he pressed the mattress down as he sat carefully next to me made me think of him trying to put me at ease.

It wasn't awkward. Not at all. I wasn't feeling awkward. Who awkward? Me awkward? Pish, I mean-awkward. That situation?

Yeah, it was totally awkward and I didn't know how to fix it.

"Jenny."

I jumped, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye before linking my wiggling fingers together, trying to hold their nervous movements.

I heard him sigh beside me and it sounded resigned.

"What you must think of me," he murmured and I caught the sight of his head shaking from side to side.

Glancing up at him hopefully, I saw he had mirrored my image and was refusing to look at me.

Tentatively, my shaking hand reached and bridged the gap between us with my palm resting against a stubbly cheek.

His head snapped sharply up and even though the situation was the epitome of uncomfortable, I saw the hope that swallowed his eyes.

"What happened today…" he trailed off.

And I think I knew why.

I felt his breath ghosting over mine and I almost saw the whisps of my breath brushing against his hair in sharp, almost inaudible pants.

It was like we were two pieces of a puzzle; an inevitable destiny of joining together again, a continual force, driving us together.

Our lips caressed lightly, a scorching beauty that had all the deserts in the world begging for mercy at the heat between our lips.

I murmured unintelligibly, as I pulled back but only for a breath before I let my lips collide with his.

And just like petrol and fire, we combusted.

Kakashi's hands combed through my hair and untied my ponytail, letting the blue mess encompass us, his fingers knotting at the base of my neck, a sense of permanence, warning me not to pull away.

As if I could.

I could barely hold onto his elbows, my hands trying to urge him closer. All my brain functions were failing as it never even crossed my mind to hold onto his waist to try and tug him closer.

His mouth was now wild as his form now became overbearing and I was unconsciously leaning back onto the bed, allowing my legs to part for his knee that was pressing up between them.

I whimpered.

The sound shouldn't have been uttered because Kakashi became uncontrolled as his mouth forced mine open, the slippery mess was enjoyable as his tongue came to parry with mine, the taste of spearmint had my senses reeling along with his touch.

I could almost feel the pressure of the electricity pressing tightly in my solar plexus, wanting to expand as an imaginary thread came from Kakashi's own chest.

I sucked in a breath, my head jerking sharply back and that was all the pervert needed to get his senses back.

Grunting, he sat back on his heels, his chest heaving but his hands were pressed against the bed sheets, braced on either side of my waist while my arms were raised above my head from where they had fallen limply.

"That wasn't meant to happen," he panted.

There was a certain pride that I got when I saw him as flustered as his chest moving up and down in a frenzied movement, as if I was sucking the life from him with one kiss.

I actually smiled and brought the energy to tap his cheek with a hand, my thumb resting at the corner of his moist lip.

"What did you _think_ was going to happen?" I teased lightly, quietly. "Do you not know how a kiss works?"

I slowly propped myself up on my elbow, so as not to spook him, letting my hold on his face bring him closer to me.

"Do you need me to show you?" I whispered, our lips so close to touching again.

And our mouths would've touched if Kakashi hadn't scrunched his eyes shut and placed a hand over my mouth, preventing them meeting.

"I think I have the basics down," he whispered back mildly, but he was betrayed by the crooked smile, crinkling his eye in fondness.

"Are you sure? I don't mind helping a friend in need," I mumbled from behind his hand.

While he laughed, it also made him pull away, releasing my mouth.

Then we had a weird, silent stare down. Me, propped on my elbows, him sat on one of my legs lightly and his heels before he took a breath, his face turned away from me, muttering something.

I frowned.

"What was that?"

"I said, I want this," he stated firmly and I was shocked enough that my elbows gave out from under me so I was just looking up at him.

My cheeks were burning and so was my heart as it struggled to keep up with the adrenaline that was flooding through it.

"What?" I croaked finally, a hope that I thought was dimmed flaring up brighter than the bat signal.

"This," he gestured between us, "I want this. I want you."

My mouth which had felt numbed under his kiss, finally cracked as I beamed brightly.

I didn't think I could talk what with all the electricity doing gymnastics inside of me.

"But I don't want this rushed," he continued on, like he was lecturing a child on how to do things.

I nodded slowly, thinking that I must be dreaming as I let a limp hand touch him.

First on his hip. I paused.

When he didn't scold me, I supported myself with my elbows again as my hand moved to his chest.

There, under my fingertips, was a thrumming which betrayed Kakashi's cool façade.

Again, when he didn't protest, I pushed myself to my hand while the other moved to his neck.

This is when he stiffened.

"Slow, I promise slow," I murmured reassuringly, my face leaning closer to his.

And I think without his knowing, Kakashi was gravitating towards me too.

I let my lips push against his slightly pursed ones lightly.

Pulling away, I analysed his face.

He didn't protest.

I let myself lean in again, this time lingering hopefully, feeling the heat under my skin thrum with my blood like a fever.

My tongue then decided to ruin it all by licking around his lips and Kakashi groaned.

Tumbling back, my spine bounced on the mattress, my eyes blearily gazing up at him. I felt the pillars of Kakashi's arms blocking my periphery.

"That didn't feel slow," his tone chiding yet it still didn't stop him from his chest aligning with mine, much alike a seam.

"Why don't you show me?" my finger trailed up from his stomach and pressed against his clavicle.

Then, I finally saw my Kakashi back as he gave me a roguish grin as his lips demanded my attention.

And that was it.

We just kissed.

For an entire night.

While I was literally burning for his touch, I couldn't help but revel in the thought of slowness, a time to enjoy the others touch, to treasure it.

Slow, I could do slow.


	18. If, If Is Good

If, If Is Good

"**Why don't you show me?" my finger trailed up from his stomach and pressed against his clavicle.**

**Then, I finally saw my Kakashi back as he gave me a roguish grin as his lips demanded my attention. **

**We kissed. **

**And that was it. **

**For an entire night. **

**While I was literally burning for his touch, I couldn't help but revel in the thought of slowness, a time to enjoy the others touch, to treasure it. **

**Slow, I could do slow.**

…o0o…

I sighed glancing back out the tiny slit of the window, seeing the sheets of water continue to curtain the foggy panes.

Rubbing my eyes, I continued to clean up the café.

While it was my day off, I barely had gotten any sleep because of the racket next door.

I finally understood and empathised the previous tenant of Ino's little room.

The previous tenant obviously felt like she was going to die of sexual frustration if she hadn't had sex with the customers in the little backroom if there was any indication of my own mood. I was dying for at least a little bit of action after listening to the frenzied coupling last night from the other room.

Unintentionally of course. There was only so much a pillow could cover.

I just never realised how _vocal_ Shikamaru could actually _get_. I thought that his vocabulary was limited to words like "Hmm." And "How Troublesome." More often than not, exclusively in that order.

Oh and don't forget the occasional sigh. Or snore.

It was a real shocker when all I heard through the nights were:

"_Harder."_

"_Faster."_

"_Fuck, Ino"_

"_You like that babe?"_

"_Uhhhhhh"_

For someone of my sexual prestige, I basically had a porn show at my hearing whenever the sun went down.

Sometimes not even then.

And considering from the thumps through the dry wall and the constant yells, they were very imaginative and sexually free couple that almost had me imagining what they were doing before I was thoroughly creeped out with my thoughts and tried to focus on other, less disturbing things.

I shuddered as I continued to flip the chairs over on top of their tables, shaking my head.

It also wasn't helped by the fact that I was reminded of my own empty bed. It was so quiet and I felt the loneliness of my night, since yesterday's excursion with Kakashi.

Just the thought had me grinning before it fell thoughtfully as I turned another chair over.

Kakashi had been out on more missions lately and I was getting worried about him because he seemed to have gotten tenser over time and it felt like there nothing I could do to stop it.

But at least the past three days had been stress relieving for both him and me.

I sighed, flipping the last chair before I retrieved the broom from the corner of the room.

Sweeping like this reminded me of the times I was with Neil and had to sweep mum's large catering hall. It was always the worst punishment that she could ever dish out. There was a time when she made us do it for an entire month.

I quaked, my eyes clenching shut. It was a fate worse than death.

But at least there was one thing that got us through the time.

The one song that could send children in hysterics and actually _enjoy_ cleaning: I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness.

While I was the worst singer on this planet, when me, Susie and Neil turned on the old boom box, belting out the lyrics, we got the work done faster and it was almost like we weren't in the creepy catering hall, late at night.

So bringing the sweeper up in a mock microphone, I began to sing.

"_Touching yooooooouuuuuuu," _I smirked the wisp of the bristles on the floor catching all the day's grime _"Touching meeeeeee,"_ I paused to bend over the shaft of the broom, my eyes clenching shut as I almost screamed the rest of the bridge.

"_Touching yooooouuuu because you touched your boob!"_

I cackled to myself but decided since I didn't want to break the windows, or have any other passers-by hear me, so I resolved myself only to humming it instead since I already sung the only bit that was amusing to me and my past immature self.

Who was I kidding? It was still there.

I mean I was wearing socks and you know what that means?

Sliding across the floor I pretended the broom was a guitar next, strumming it wildly, my eyes clenched shut.

So taken in with my own pretend performance, I didn't hear the muted clapping until I opened my eyes and immediately flushed.

It appeared I had an audience of my object of lust: Kakashi.

I don't think I ever had my cheeks blare as bright red as fire engine before but I think I managed to make a new shade to add to the colour wheel.

"I didn't realise that you were such an acclaimed singer," he teased, his eye brow raised high and his comment only made my heart thunder more.

"I-" I swallowed, my throat thick from embarrassment.

Or hay fever. Or I could have suddenly become allergic to bees or-

Something, anything that would hospitalise me and remove me from this embarrassment.

However, nothing came up.

Not as Kakashi stalked forward, his face promising a lot of things that should be done in the darkness of the night.

Not as his hand reached up to grab me, probably to propel me into his chest.

My breath quickened as I backed away playfully, placing table after table between us, my teeth coming to dig in on my lip as I tried to hide my smile, untying my apron as I went.

"And where do you think you're going?" his voice came out as a rumble and it took all my will power not to run straight to him, my arms wide open, ready to receive whatever 'punishment' he was willing to give me.

Biting my lip, I directed my back to the open doorway.

"Obviously getting away from the town pervert," I smiled, sure of where this was going yet uncertain if we were going to do what I had fantasied for days beforehand.

"Funny, I didn't realise we had the same problem, except I'm trying to obtain this escaped pervert," he continued on, his voice never going above a purr much to my lower half's delight. "You know where I might find her?"

"I wouldn't know," I evaded one half-hearted attempt to grab me, putting the kitchen table in front of me, my hands placed on the table supporting my upper half as I leaned over, like a detective interrogating the perp. "But if I did?"

Kakashi mimicked me, his mouth coming dangerously close that I almost forgot our game and closed my eyes to savour him against me.

"Then I'll have to…" I felt his minty breath caressing mine and I inhaled sharply letting myself dangle closer to the cliff edge.

He stopped and I opened one eye curiously to see that he was smirking down at me, his mask hanging below his neck, just watching me.

I flushed, pulling back instantly, my mortification coming back in full swing.

"That was mean," I pouted, now on the side of the table with the door behind me, my flashing blue eyes caught on him.

Kakashi raised his arms either side of him like _look how innocent I am_, a crooked grin still on one side of his face giving a slight dimple making me flush with a different kind of heat that wasn't from embarrassment.

Swallowing, I quickly made a break for the door leading to the alley and my apartment, managing to get out before locking it with the extend-a-key that was around my neck from the outside.

I heard him slam against it and looked through the glass to see his face of disbelief, his hands splayed like stars on the glass.

I knew what the disbelief was about though.

Because he knew I knew that he could pick that lock faster than I could re lock it.

With that in mind I quickly sprinted to the door that led to the apartment, my bare feet barely dodging all the broken glass.

I heard the scrape of the door opening behind me and I giggled, shooting a mischievous smile over my shoulder before I quickly locked the door behind me.

I would say that I attempted to sprint up the wobbly stairs to Ino's however, such a feat could never be completed with a lowly human such as myself.

So undignified, I crawled, letting my bottom wriggle more than humanly possible, a little part of me wanting to get caught.

I heard the rattle of the handle of the door at the bottom of the stairs so I made a quick dash for the door at the top and unlocked it before Kakashi even made his way half way up.

However, I remember his friend Asuma and how he was able to leap all of the stairs in one jump; I was under no illusion that Kakashi couldn't either.

Slamming the door I heard a thump as another human hit the other side.

"Who is it?" I called sweetly, my hand resting on the door where I heard the accompanying thump of a fist knocking against it in frustration.

"Jenny, if you don't open this door right now, I swear…" he trailed off warningly and I felt a shiver of anticipation coming up my spine and it was like I could almost taste his lips already.

"Sorry, I don't know anyone called 'Jenny, if you don't open this door right now, I swear'," I paused laughing. "In fact your parents must have hated you if they called you that."

There was another thump and this time I thought I could have heard a growl.

"You must have been an unpleasant surprise," I giggled again, "sucks you were an accident bro."

"That's it," Kakashi finally bit out.

I was almost surprised when the door didn't burst out in splinters right then, however I almost didn't hear the incredibly quiet tinkle and creak of the tumblers in the lock turning and being forced by the picks influencing its arrangement.

Barely pulling the chain across in time, when Kakashi pushed himself through he was immediately stopped by the harsh clink of the chain holding him inside.

Darting to the gap that had the almost scowling man, his plan foiled and bopped him on the nose.

"You get extra credit for trying," I leaned closer, my hand on the door knob, "but this is what you get for not kissing me sooner."

Growling, Kakashi caught my chin, pulling me in and pressing our lips together, my cheeks pressed harshly against the split between the door and the door jamb.

He let his tongue come and caress my lips, taking a dive afterwards, letting his touch knowingly zing all the way through my body, weakening my resolve, almost convincing me to open the door properly and receive him, arms open wide.

I could only think to how we got in this situation in the first place.

_Kakashi was sat at the counter like usual, a lemon and ginseng tea steaming in front of him as he blandly turned a page of his smutty book. _

_I was stood beside him with only the bar between us as I roved the wash cloth in small circles, delaying the time for when I would have to venture back into my hovel and bake some more when I heard him sigh again. _

_Snorting, I finally gave up the pretence of cleaning by leaning on the bar with my forearms, clenching my breasts closer in the maid uniform, highlighting what he already knew. _

"_Alright what is it?" I asked, my hand cradling my chin as I looked innocently at him. _

"_What? Nothing," he batted away my comment pretending to be involved with his novel._

_Rolling my eyes, I placed my hand over his book and lowered it so he would have to look at me. _

"_You are huffing more than Thomas The Tank Engine, I think something is wrong," I replied cockily as I again leaned against the counter, "so tell me."_

_He cocked his head to the side in confusion. _

"_Who's Thomas The Tank Engine?"_

_I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose with my forefinger and thumb. Why did I do this every time?_

"_What's wrong?" evading when I knew he was trying to deflect me._

_When it looked like he would try to deflect again, my eyes warned him that it better be a good answer this time._

_Following my sigh, Kakashi leaned his face against a fist and mumbled his answer out. _

_Frowning, I tried to listen closer to what he said. _

"_What?" _

_I turned so my ear was next to his mouth, feeling his moist breath warming it instantly despite the mask._

"_Just wondering about couples," he mumbled again and when I pivoted my head sharply and incredulously to stare at him, I saw the way his ears normally covered by hair were turning steadily redder. _

"_Why?" I asked curiously, tilting further forward, excluding anyone who would possibly come to interrupt us. _

"_Just," he shrugged helplessly, which was a first for me, "felt like I should have…you know."_

_I arched a brow, a smile on my lips. _

"…_Chase after the girl or something I guess," his hand rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, coughing delicately into one of his fists. _

_I giggled, delighted. _

"_Are you saying you're _disappointed_ with the fact that you never had to chase after me? Like in the books?" I laughed again, my chin falling to be cupped by my hands. "That's so adorable."_

_He didn't even bother to reply, just standing up to leave. _

"_Aww, don't be like that," I teased, quickly coming around the counter to stand next to him, my hand resting on his arm. _

_He shrugged it off, looking away from me petulantly. _

_Biting away my smile, I lowered my head so it was in his eye line. _

"_Is this really that important to you?" I asked, my hair falling over my shoulder. _

_He sighed, grabbing my hips and checked our bodies obviously and I gasped in surprise, tottering on my heels before I managed to grab his shoulders. _

"_Not really," he said, his face coming to rest on the juncture between my neck and shoulder. _

"_Not really?" I repeated dubiously, my hands coming to cup behind his head just in case he thought that meant that he had to pull away. _

_Kakashi sighed again and I felt his fingers tighten for a moment. _

"_I just would like to know what it would be like to have _you_ chase after me," he muttered and I shivered under the lips that were rubbing the soft mask into my skin, sending trembles to vibrate through me._

_But then what he said hit me. I pulled away, confused. _

"_Huh?"_

_Rolling his eye, he gazed down at me, his hands still cradling my hips. _

"_You chased after all my friends yet not your," he paused, unsure of how to continue._

_I ignored that in favour of gaping up at him. _

"_Kakashi, are you," I quickly looked around to make sure no one was listening in on us before I pressed myself to his ear before beginning again. "Are you jealous?"_

_He jerked as if hit by lightning, pulling away harshly, his eye glaring down at my disbelieving face. _

"_I'm not jealous," he replied stubbornly, he removed his hands from my hips, stepping away. _

_I dogged his steps, my mouth still hanging open. _

"_You're jealous that I didn't chase you like your friends?" I asked in a hushed voice, my hand coming to grab his to stop him running away._

_He hesitated long enough that it confirmed my suspicions. _

"_You know what?" I stepped away a bright smile on my face as it followed my bright idea. "I have an idea."_

_He raised a suspicious brow before motioning me to continue. _

"_Let's pretend like we are just getting together, you know before this," I gestured to all of him. "I'll pull out all the moves."_

_I placed my hands on my hips proud of my genius. _

_Huffing, Kakashi shook his head, resting a hand on his face. _

"_We'll come to regret this," he moaned. _

_I frowned. _

"_No, _you'll_ regret this because I'm not losing," I said stubbornly. _

"_Huh?" he asked before his eye widened._

"_We're making this a competition," I said as I moved around the counter, going to retreat into the kitchen, "first one to give in loses. No holding back."_

_There was a sternness about him that almost made me second guess my 'brilliant' plan. _

_But there was no going back now._

_I was going to win._

_The next day, my heart was doing mini flips in my chest that was almost making me motion sick. _

_However, I was going to be true to my word; I was going to win. No holding back. _

_I had him promise that we would start that day and that he would meet up with me to 'meet for the first time'. To get the whole getting together business. _

_God, this was probably the most stupidest thing I have ever thought up, but I was going to win dammit. _

_Then Kakashi would realise that he wasn't as cool and collected as the thought he was. I was going to bring him to his knees._

_It got to midday before he actually came which he knew was late as we had opened at nine. _

_The smirk he gave me when I stopped at the counter had my insides coiling in anticipation, my breath drying out as I gasped out a "hello master". _

_He wasn't wearing his usual garb. He wasn't playing fair. _

_He knew how much I loved his arms. _

_His shirt had the sleeves ripped off so his tattoo on his right arm was clearly visible along with all the dents and grooves that came with the incredible muscles that I could have sworn weren't real. The trousers were worse. _

_They were tight. Not exactly too tight, but they were bordering on the line between too tight and not tight enough. _

_The comical check to see if he had the right store made sure that I got a good look at the tightness before he pierced me with a stormy eye._

_Was his hair messier than normal?_

_Had there been a spike in the temperature or was that just me?_

_To my dithered state, Kakashi just sat at his normal space, his expression clearly saying _you might as well give up and drop your knickers right here, right now.

_I was inclined to agree with him until I caught the whiff of victory coming from him and my eyes tightened. _

_I was going to win. I was_.

_Shimmying forward, I displayed my new arsenal. _

_Like most things women wear, it was so difficult to get the right levels of sexy and not slutty. _

_However, I was rocking what I could. _

_The maid outfit was doing most of my work for me, but I knew visual imagery wasn't what got Kakashi going. _

_No, while it would help, what would _win_ was the words I used coupled with my scent. _

_He thought he was so secretive about sniffing whenever I stepped out of the shower back when we lived together, however, I knew from the way his finger would accidently curl around a strand of my hair and exhale sharply, that he digged the mango shampoo and body wash. _

_That's why I spent last night's evening market just finding the perfect blends of fruit and with the same scented lip gloss. _

_This is when it got iffy too. Because when does scent become overwhelming?_

_Where ever it is, I hoped I hadn't crossed it. _

_Swishing my way around the counter, I made to flip my hair which would waft the perfume towards him. _

_I knew when my strike had hit because there he was stiffening, his shoulders tense as I came and leaned on the bar top, one arm supporting my bust making it all the larger. _

"_Is there anything I can help you with master?" I said innocently, my lips drawing out the mode of address knowing just from one reading of Icha Icha, that it was Kakashi's weakness. _

_All the innocent, young women, unknowing of how attractive it was to be submissive. _

_I lowered my eyes, perfectly curled and shadowed, making them subtly bigger. _

"_I-" Kakashi cleared his throat and I had to swallow to try and stall the victorious smile coming up on my face._

_This was so embarrassing. _

_While I had a Drama GCSE under my belt, it didn't mean that I was automatically going to become a seductress overnight. Especially since roleplaying actually made me cringe in embarrassment. _

_However, I made this bed, so now I had to lie in it._

"_Let me guess," I whispered, my finger tracing the wood close to one bare elbow and it was actually harder than I thought to not trace the curved scar that extended around the point. "A…lemon and ginseng?"_

_He finally realised what I was doing and actually reset himself if there was any indication with the way he turned in his seat, letting his legs bracket me between them, one arm moving behind his head to scratch mindlessly, his muscles flexing more than they should have been with that one movement. _

_But I wasn't complaining. _

_Not at all. _

"_Actually, I was looking for a little bit of work for the day, if you could do with some hands on help," he stood up, his form just dominating as he towered over me, his chest almost against mine while one arm supported himself on the bar top next to him. _

_I struggled to breathe or even think. _

_This would be harder than I thought. _

_He didn't need that arm there but I could tell from the way the arm was ripped that he wanted me to see all the muscle that he knew I have always appreciated in the past. _

_Deeply appreciated. _

_As in, willing to build a temple just dedicated to the worship of those twins. _

_Focus Jenny!_

_Looking up under my lashes, I breathed quietly through my mouth, pouting my lips, pushing the scent of my mango lip gloss towards him_

_And from the way he stiffened further, I knew I had caught him._

"_If you want to come into the back, I'm sure that your _help_ would greatly assist me," I almost cringed but since I knew it was a direct quote from my Icha Icha._

_Admittedly this was from the sassy heroine who denied any need for help and ultimately dies in the end but I digress._

_Overall, I knew Kakashi would be putty in the palm of my hand. _

_My hips rocking from side to side as I left him. _

_I didn't have to look over my shoulder to know that he wasn't looking away from the sway of my rump._

_Shutting the door after him, I shot a wink to Ino who rolled her eyes but nodded. _

_I obviously had to get her permission if I wanted to slack off that day. But she _did_ have to credit me the fact that I _did_ earn us a month off despite that the parents hadn't specified. It was a month spread out over the year._

_I was just deducting this one day._

_When I turned, I saw that the pervert had seen my one point and had upped his own game that could have been the deal breaker: he lowered his mask. _

_I was gazing at his chiselled jaw, pointy chin, his nose, everything. _

_But I prepared for this, I tried to remind myself as I let my body relax against the shut door, my legs pretending (were they though?) to act shaky in the face of this…face._

_This lowered his guard enough that when he prowled forward, I knew I had him hook, line and sinker. _

_I let a whimper as he crowded me against the door, his one, strong hand, slamming next to my head. _

"_How do you want me to service you," I asked softly, "master?"_

_Again while I wanted to cringe and run under my bed, the name just seemed to break him by the way he mimicked his hand and slammed our lips together. _

_I gasped. _

_I didn't calculate the passion. _

_Or the fact that my neurones felt that they were breaking one by one as his blistering mouth took me over._

_He slanted his lips and I could tell that he was waiting for me to bring my hands to clasp his shoulders like I should if I was in his thrall. _

_It took all my will power to just claw my finger nails into the door behind me, hearing the chips falling to the floor. _

_Or that could have been my ears popping from the disbelief of this _monster_ being trapped in such a calm individual. _

_He grunted, checking our hips. _

_I moaned before I could claim it back. _

_However, I didn't realise that it would be to my advantage as he grasped my bottom roughly, shoving the apex of my thighs against his hard on. _

_I almost swallowed my tongue as he wrenched me away from the door, taking me to the clean table, his bare hands holding my thighs to his hips as he checked our sexes together blatantly again. _

_I let my head rock back against the table, lying fully on the surface, my maid uniform almost falling apart under Kakashi's rough handling. _

_I couldn't tell where I began and where he did as his lips caught and tore at my skin with a frenzy that showed him sexually frustrated._

"_Master," I gasped, my fingers losing feeling as they took to his grey hair, feeling the feathery strands caressing into the worn pads as the pleasure overwhelmed my system. _

_Never had I been so desired, so aroused, so-so-so-_

_I moaned as he moved to the line where my cleavage began, his tongue digging in, arching my hips with a well-placed hand on my lower back. _

"_What do you want?" his voice growled into my ear and I hummed, my eyes shutting as the stars flooding my vision becoming too dizzying._

_Kakashi, or should I say master, drew a tempting hand from my exposed neck, down to the ruffles of the bodice, before his hand was ripping the seams. _

_I couldn't even formulate the anger at the random violence because as soon as the cool air hit my nipples through the thin electric blue knicker set, I was wishing for him to warm them up with his mouth or his hands. _

"_Hey, I thought you gave those to me," he pulled fully away, just standing in between my legs as I lay limp on the table top, my breathing harsh. _

_I thought about saying that I had Ino help me break into his flat, about finding all my clothes put in their respective places like I had never left but then remembered who was the one more ruffled in this scenario. _

_Kakashi, other than having a fiery blush in his cheeks from desire, his breathing a little harder than normal, was perfectly fine. _

_I, on the other hand, was a complete and devastated mess. _

_My hair was ruffled, falling out of its pony tails, my face swallowed by my flush from the heavy kissing that had just transpired, my chest was heaving, partially unclothed. My legs were wide and aching and wet, just waiting him to come back to me. _

_Where I thought I was the winner, it appeared I was lagging behind dreadfully with no hope of catching up._

_Where I thought I was the contender, I found that I was only a piece in the game, no point in my rivalry._

_But I had one final roll of the dice before I knew I was screwed, both figuratively and literally. _

"_But master," I gasped, my body arching against the table, my eyes clenching shut, trying to hide my wince if this play didn't work. My thighs tightened around him as my heels dug into his tight arse to click him against me. "You promised you would punish me."_

_I recoiled inside. Oh God. That was it. I was done. _

_My failures were that of dirty talk and of role playing. _

_I must have been hideously bad as I felt Kakashi freeze above me and I almost opened my eyes. However, my humiliation was so overwhelming that I remembered that I didn't want to see his laughing face. _

_I even began to push myself up, my eyes shut so I couldn't have to look at him as I retreated._

_What I wasn't prepared for was the sound of clothes hitting the floor and the chink of a belt buckle._

_My eyes popped open as I felt the wet tongue tracing my lips before delving their way in, a hip pump reminding me that Kakashi was actually hard for me._

_Socially awkward, little old me. _

_And from the size of him, I really _was_ little in compared to Kakashi Jr. _

_Gasping, I was helpless to do anything other than return the kiss and hope I wasn't swallowed and taken in by the pleasure that I was so reluctant to pull away from._

_There was the rattle of the table as the pervert clambered on top of it too, shuffling me backwards. _

_When would we be able to tell who had won?_

_The one who puts out first?_

_Because if that was true, then I was about to lose. Or was that Kakashi was?_

_Hooking his arms under my lower body, he brought my lower lips higher to press against his only brief clothed erection. _

_I knew this had to be now or never. _

_I closed my lips over the skin of his neck, my hands reaching for the mask hanging around his neck, pulling it further down so my lips could close around the base. _

_I would stop in a minute. _

_There was a shudder running all the way across Kakashi as one hand tenderly felt the shell of his ear. _

_Was…was he sensitive there?_

_The shocking thought cut through most of the fog as I filed that away for future knowledge as a new battle plan formulated._

"_W-wait master," I garbled. _

_My mouth was too swollen to even think of speaking proper words anymore, my tongue too tuned to his to even think of speaking against him have his wicked way with me._

"_If you're talking, you're not enjoying this enough, maybe I should just go?" his voice lowly shushed into my ear as I gave a high keening as he shockingly rubbed two fingers along my slit. _

_I felt like I was choking on the delicious waves of sensuality that stunned me into just moaning his name accidently. _

_When his form actually made to move away, my fingers clutched at him desperately. _

_However, what I wasn't prepared for was Kakashi, who gave a shit eating grin as he straightened._

_I gaped _

"_I believe that is one point to me, looks like you'll have to up your game if you really want to win," he stretched languidly as if we totally hadn't been prepared to do the dirty right there and then. _

_Propping myself on my elbows, I closed my mouth as I looked at his pleased power pose. _

_I was not going to lose right then!_

_New Plan: Singular Offensive._

_I swallowed down all my nervousness as I whimpered._

_That got his attention._

_Continuing and tilting my head back, I let a keening moan escape my throat, my hand coming to rest innocently against my collar bone before one finger traced down the path to circle an overly sensitive areola. _

_My legs shifted as they rubbed together, trying to create the friction that Kakashi had been previously inspiring._

"_Wa-" I could hear him struggling to clear his throat. _

"_Master," I whispered, as my hand drifted down my bare stomach and while I hated to do it, I knew that this was the only way I was going to be able to win. _

_I was extremely competitive and I was a sore loser. _

_My finger traced the wetness of the blue knickers, my fingers only applying pressure. _

"_Ah, master," I mumbled as my eyes hazily opened, trying to take in his expression. _

_When I did, I wanted to smile however with my finger tracing along my waist band of my knickers, I was a bit more preoccupied with my hand about to dive against my bare, slick flesh. _

"_I-I already won," he said uncertainly but from the lust in his voice, he didn't believe himself, or thought what I was doing some kind of break between the games. _

"_This isn't a game to me," I tried to moan out seductively, "I need you. I need you. I need you-"_

_I cut off with a pant as my fingers glanced off my nub where the nerves were sparking like a live wire._

_There was a muffled curse before Kakashi was tearing off my knickers, his warm, calloused fingers replacing my own and mine retreated willingly. _

_The slick movement of his fingers just tracing outside my lips had my hips juddering with his hand while his one hand supported him next to me. _

_I had to really concentrate to not get distracted. _

_So pushing myself up, I grasped him through his briefs causing him to hiss. _

_Licking my lips, I let my body tilt up to trace his own lips with my own tongue, a complete role reversal from earlier. _

_But this time, I was going to get a point. _

_Standing quickly in front of him, the movement shoved his fingers deeper in me and I felt my body jerk in surprise and desire before it remembered the bigger picture._

_Spinning us, I pushed him on the table before crawling after him, my hand never once missing a pump on his erection through the soft fabric of his briefs. _

_I pinged the elastic below his pulsing…I flushed just looking at it and I had to stop myself from slamming my body immediately on top, praying for patience._

_His head slammed into the wood, his own hips arching ironically. _

_My hand moved over his top, caressing the wetness around him._

"_What do you want me to do master?" I asked lowly, my mouth coming to breath over him, demonstrating my 'willingness' to him. _

_Looking blearily out of his one eye, he just let his head smack into the table giving out a groan. _

_My lips tightened before I let my tongue spread along his length. _

_He jerked in my hands, his hands now making grooves in the table, however, one hand shakily came to rest on my head, pushing me towards him. _

"_Fine, you win Jen, just-please."_

_I was shocked. _

_Never had I heard him beg but I wasn't about to make him lower himself further as I took pity on him and swallowed him down. _

_His hips arced upwards again, his hand holding me to him, making me hope my gag reflex was going to get me through as I bobbed my head. _

_My tongue slathered the heat of my mouth and my passion over him and I could tell Kakashi could sense it as he groaned again. _

_But we would never have known how it would have turned out since that was the time that Ino had decided to cock block me with the most epic proportions._

"_Oh! OH MY-" Ino screeched before she shut the door with a slam._

_Kakashi groaned, covering his face and he mumbled something that sounded like:_

"_So completely worth it."_

_The next day, Ino had banned me from the café, demanding that I clean and disinfect the table _thoroughly_ before I had to go be locked in my room. _

_I could understand where she was coming from, however when I saw her in the exact same position only a few days ago, I think she deserved some slight scarring too._

_Sighing, I climbed onto my bed, staring morosely at the wall. _

_What would I even do?_

_I had an entire game plan for that day that was just being ruined by Ino's selfishness._

_However, I was cracked out of my musings when there was a tap-tap against my window. _

_Glancing up, I couldn't hold back my beam as I scrambled to open the window, letting my pervert come through but only to swing his legs over the sill. _

"_Under house arrest?" he smirked under his mask and I almost scowled. _

"_Just take home," holding my arms up like I was a toddler asking for its parent to pick them up. _

_Rolling his eyes, his hands scooped me up as if I _was_ that light weight toddler before racing across the roof tops. _

_And it was only when we came through his bedroom that I realised what I called his flat. _

"_Home."_

_I was in his kitchen when we both seemed to remember the game we were supposed to be playing. _

_So what was going to be my hastily made dinner, then became the foreplay that soon migrated to the other room as we collapsed on the couch in a flurry of limbs._

_Moaning, Kakashi yanked down my hurriedly thrown on t-shirt of that morning, kissing all the flesh around and between my breasts. _

_I whimpered as my hands sifted through his hair, begging him to stay, pressuring him to move. _

_I swallowed thickly as he pushed up my top to lick and dip his tongue into my bellybutton which made me both giggle and moan as one of my hands that was on his head, raised up to try and cool my forehead which felt feverish until it limply fell beside my head, just deciding to revel in his touch. _

_I just about choked as Kakashi, a smirk of a snake, poked his tongue through my tight shorts, right at my centre. _

_My hips instinctively arched, trying to get closer to the pressure but were pinned down by the pervert's clever hands. _

_Keening now, my head rolled back and forth on the sofa's arm, my hand that was beside my head, clawing at the cheap fabric. _

_Cheap enough that I heard the rip as my nails speared through it over the drum beat of my blood flowing through my ears._

_But it meant that I wasn't focussed enough on Kakashi so was shocked into crying out when there was an extremely punishing bite given to my inner thigh. _

_My spine cracked as I bent as curved as a protractor, little lights flashing in my vision as I came down panting. _

"_The sofa's new, could you be a bit more considerate," his low voice sent the lower me almost dripping with the wetness embarrassingly but I couldn't stop myself. _

_I tried nodding but found that all my senses for once were dulled to the grey haired man's touch unlike where it felt like I was touching a live wire._

_Seeing that I had actually tried acknowledging his reprimand, he began worming my shorts down, taking a look at the lack of knickers, softly snarling his approval before increasing his pace of dragging the black fabric down so his tongue that touched fabric before touched bare flesh. _

_I cried out, my hands now clenching with a renewed vigour in his messy hair that after I was finished with him wouldn't even exist on his scalp. _

_Both so enraptured with the other we didn't hear the angry shouts until the door slammed open with an irate Ino who was screeching about escaping my punishment, cried out in surprise _again_ and slammed the door shut where I could hear her wails about torture through the thin door._

_I screamed into my fist in embarrassment and anger that I didn't even get to finish, my hand reaching a pillow and throwing it against the wall, which flopped pathetically against the floor with a _whumf,_ my hands covering my face as my blush hid any previous pale pigment on the skin of my face. _

_It was official: I was going to _kill_ Ino. _

_Cock blocked, not once, but twice!_

_Kakashi didn't look much different as he reclined on the other side, one arm coming over his face. _

"_I'm starting to think we just have extremely bad luck."_

"_Or bad friends," I countered, bringing my shorts back up over my hips jerkily. _

_He grunted his agreement before his eye lazily traced my form. _

"_You don't think-"_

"_Don't go there," I pointed my finger at him warningly, "I'm already this close to jumping your bones but I am _this close_ to not caring that my friend is out there and possibly could hear us as I screw you into the sofa."_

_He got up and stalked towards me. _

_I dodged him, placing the sofa between us, my hand held up as a block. _

_As if it would actually do anything. _

_However, when I saw his eye flare in excitement, that something that he wasn't allowed was something that was actually turning him on. _

_I gaped before I regained my senses and leaped over the back to get my shoes and sprinted to the door. _

_There was a hard tug at my wrist and I was coiled back into a strong chest. _

"_What no goodbye kiss?" his voice murmured as his teeth caught lightly on my ear. _

_I shivered before I realised what was happening and quickly shoved him away while I put the shoes on where I would have run out of the door shoeless in my attempt to get away from this sexual predator._

_I shook my head, grinning as I used my hand to support myself as one shoe was being particularly difficult._

"_Well, I wouldn't want the point system to get too biased in my favour anyway," I heard his amused voice say before my blood cold. _

_I completely forgot about the competition._

_Again!_

_I really needed not to let his hands on me again next time. _

_Shaking my head, I thought of a plan evilly. _

_Putting myself on my tip toes to give him a kiss, Kakashi innocently obliged, our lips mere inches away, until my hand which was behind my back, stroked him roughly through his trousers. _

_He moaned, his forehead resting on my shoulder. _

_And just when I felt his hips jerking against me, so close to finishing, I pulled away with a grin and a finger wave, I sashayed out of the door. _

_Still the door was so thin as I heard a thud of something being thrown at the door._

So when I pulled away with my new tactic of evasive manoeuvres, I gave a shit eating grin as I wiggled my fingers through the door.

"Well thanks for stopping by, but I think I have more important things such as searching through my lingerie and deciding which to give to charity."

Shutting the door, I fully expected Kakashi to start pounding on the door or something but when that didn't happen, I felt a wave of disappointment.

That was one of the side effects that I hated about evasion but it seemed to have to largest effect on him. I think he likes the women who are mean to him.

Kind of messed up, but it worked in my favour.

I heard a rumble surrounding the country side and looked towards the clouds that were beginning to darken into a thunder storm.

I couldn't help the brief worry about Kakashi, in case he was still outside.

Turning to the kitchen, I was beginning on making dinner, chopping the vegetables when I heard it.

The footstep.

Pretending like I hadn't noticed, I continued to get my equipment.

One of which was a frying pan.

Hearing the footstep closer now, there was a flash of fear as I quickly pivoted on one foot, my frying pan brought up to slam the intruder face first with the iron.

Instead my hand got caught and before I caught a look at their face, I brought my knee up hoping that it would at least catch them in the groin and give me running time.

Instead, the intruder artfully dodged the knee attempt and trapped it against his hip and the counter with the thump.

Preparing to scream, I only just saw who it was.

Kakashi raised a bemused eyebrow as he still didn't release my leg nor my wrist despite both had gone limp with the fight leaking out of the muscles.

"Didn't know you were into that kind of thing," he commented dryly.

I rolled my eyes, reaching up with my other hand to put down the frying pan since Kakashi hadn't let go of me.

Turning, he pushed me up onto the counter, his hands still holding my knee and wrist captive in his strong grip.

We didn't say anything as we just stared at the other, my breaths a little more harsh as the adrenaline left me and my heart beat that was racing now sprinted for a different reason.

That being an incredibly delicious human in front of me.

"Do-do you think you have had enough of the chasing experience yet?" I panted, my breaths were quickening at the sight of his mouth leaning closer.

There was a brief nod of his head as one hand lowered his mask for me to see all his glory and pretend that the sigh from my mouth was from disappointment rather than relief and excitement.

"But I won," I tried to garble out but I knew I was soon losing my thought processes in the sight of this very attractive man about to make a move on me.

Kakashi actually pulled away, his dubious eye just boring into me.

"Well, I lost count who was winning," I admitted, albeit lowly so he could miss the admission.

While silent, he was actually very good at getting his opinion across with just his eye.

"If anyone won?" I corrected hesitantly, my free hand going to rest between his should blades as I shuffled back more comfortably and pulled him with me.

"If, if is good," he rumbled before his naked lips were pressed against mine.

Sighing as everything popped in my body, I held him close enough to keep my legs wrapped around him, just delighting in the soft rove of his mouth against mine.

He let his tongue stroke against mine before retreating again, a smirk on his mouth.

"Should we both get the consolation prize?" his voice growled in my ear and I had to bite my lip to stop my purr of happiness at the show of dominance coming from him.

Kakashi pressed himself against me and through my thin shorts I felt a certain hardness that was stroking the most sensitive part of me.

"We've never got to finish what we started," he continued, his face leaning into breathe in my neck, smelling my perfume and I could have sworn I felt his hand tightened on its hold on my knee.

I wanted to reply, I really did, however he didn't know what his touch or voice alone could send me into an almost alive state of comatose.

I barely managed a nod before he dragged me into his arms and through the apartment to my room.

My back hit the wall at one point and other than a harsh cry of pain, it was immediately smoothed by one of his hands which was stroking the softness of my skin, like he was comforting a wild animal.

I could see where he was coming from; when his lips, hot and wet, were caressing the skin on the side of my neck, I felt the starbursts illuminate behind my eyelids and a rush of the explosion headed to places down below.

Gasping, I let him press me into the pillows of my bed, the grey light of the rain outside the only back drop as Kakashi, almost gently, came to kiss my lips, his mouth moving in tandem with mine.

It was wonderful and I couldn't have hoped for more.

However, I should have just revelled in the moment because as soon as I shifted to get more comfortable, the apex of my thighs hit what was a throbbing erection.

He growled and before I knew it, I had unleashed an animal.

His lips now attacked mine, the harsh bite between his tongue thrashing with mine, his hips suddenly pounding into mine, the starbursts behind my eyes illuminating into huge supernovas.

The supernova ventured and sucked the rest of my body into the pleasure and I was just along for the ride.

Kakashi wormed a hand under up under my t-shirt and for once I actually felt a burst of nervousness.

Not because I didn't want to do it, no, it was because finally we _would_.

So much for slow.

The apartment was empty and I was enclosed in my room so we would hypothetically have no trouble, right?

All the other times, I would have believed that we would have gotten caught such as the kitchen down stairs and his flat.

But now we were golden.

I sat up to help the path of my t-shirt coming up and over my head, my breaths shaky both with nerves and excitement.

And being the incredible ninja that he was, Kakashi who had beginning to lean down and kiss my chest, noticed and paused to press against mine once, twice. Mini pecks that made me giggle after all the passion of the three days and the past few minutes.

I squealed as his amorous kisses got more ticklish around my neck and to my chest, his hair trailing in long feather duster trails.

Leaving a loud smack on the top of one breast comically, he snuck a look up at me, his mouth rueful and roguish at the same time.

"Why so shy?" his hands that were once sparking desire to flame hot in and around my body now turning playful as they tickled me about my waist.

I shrieked with laughter, trying to worm away from him, my hands that were previously holding him to me now pushing him away.

When he finally let me have some breathing room, I gasped before my hands decided to take pre-emptive action and tighten in his hair as I brought his face close to mine.

"Just kiss me you idiot," I murmured, a smile on both of our lips and I could tell that from the way he hungrily swallowed mine that any chill from the rain outside would not come through with his touch keeping me warm.

The hands that I had been so nervous about touching me now welcomed as my body arched into him, my own hands snaking under his tight top and pushing it up and over the ribbed stomach, exposing the planes that could make my cheeks flush with arousal as easily as his mouth.

Swallowing to gain some moisture, I let my eyes close, delighting in the way his expert hands knew how to play me to get the correct moans, the whimpers.

The said hands were clasped at my neck, angling my head so that he could lick my exposed throat and placing little butterfly kisses, giving cute little grunts.

However that could have been since my hand had gotten sneaky and clasped him through his trousers as he straddled my body, towering over me in a delicious sign of dominance.

Kakashi groaned as my hand tightened reflexively when his mouth had _accidently_ brushed one of my sensitive nipples that he had pushed _accidently_ out of my bra.

It was a cute block pink silk set with a bout of frothy milkshake lace tracing the cups.

I could tell that he liked it from the growl and the slight pulling away while the hands that had positioned my neck exposed, trailed reverently down my soft skin, his hands cradling the fabric in his hands.

But I suppose the way his hands pushed my body up to his torso to try and undo it was also a strong indication that he wanted it for his collection after we were done with it.

But then he couldn't find the clasp and there was a petulant growl as he tried to get rid of some of his pent up energy but thrusting into my stilled hand as I was still reeling from his brief touch to my spine that had me arching upwards.

"How do you open this bloody thing?" he snarled, his teeth biting and sucking into a hickey on my throat like it was _my_ fault it was front clasping.

I giggled, pushing him away so I was sat upright and he was sitting on my lap and his heels as my hands to the front of the bra and with a ping, the cups sprang apart exposing my hypersensitive skin to his darkened eyes.

His hands held onto my shoulders as he propelled me back to land on the nest of pillows, his nose brushing mine, letting me see the dark flecks in his eyes. My breath caught.

We were still, the only thing breaking our silence was my gasps and his deep breathing.

And then he rolled his hips into my hand and we just blew up.

His tongue snaked into my mouth, one hand clasping the nape of my neck, pressing his lips against mine in a punishing grip, the hot mess was just enough to make me blush, my gasps coming out through my nose as my hand moved in a circular motion around his package.

Kakashi pinged the elastic of the waist band of my shorts making me instinctively arch them to click against the back of my hand and urge it harder against him.

Pulling back and standing, he stayed away long enough for the both of us to divest our clothes before we came together again like atoms bouncing back together.

I gasped as his delved his way between my cleavage, his tongue just roaming over my torso leaving tiny nips on the underside of my breasts, sometimes where the flesh met the bone of my ribs. Those I whimpered as my hand gripped the silky smoothness of his length and gave a confident pump.

He growled again, his own hand holding against my mound, his fingers just tempting around my entrance.

I attempted thrusting my hips against his fingers but the face that was smoothing its tongue over my nipples, bit down on the nubs and I clenched my body into a tense coil of passionate emotions.

Huffing a breath, one hand held onto his hair that was freely defying gravity with my aid as it speared through it.

The bed was creaking slightly under our frenzied thrusting, his hand by my head was determined to keep his balance and not rub our torsos in the glorious friction that I knew would let my head roil and finally lose patience with him.

Thinking on it, my mind went suddenly blank as the fingers that were only skating around my wetness dived in and traced my inner walls in a slow, seductive thrusts.

I held my breath, my mouth moving soundlessly as I prayed that he would continue as my legs trembled happily.

The shakes rivalled that of an earth quake and the fire inside me was that of the heat of the hot tarmac on a midsummer's day in the scorching sun.

I breathed in his scent of spearmint and tea tree.

But just like when we normally kiss, I felt my body being filled with electricity, my vision sharpening so I could see the little dust molecules with what felt like twenty-twenty vision.

Kakashi's finger pistoned now, rubbing constantly on my clit and made my spine bend like putty in his hands and my whimper just urged him to lick and suck on my neck with a fury.

As his hips jerked himself through my hand, I felt the first wetness come out of him and I quickened my pace, just tightening enough that he was groaning with every stroke.

Turning, he leant on his elbow on his side meaning that our bodies faced the other while his face remained buried in my neck.

The hands between us treating the other, sending pleasure ricocheting around the room until I was nearly bursting, crying out, my hips juddering in the need to release.

I keened, the hand that was holding him against my neck, ripping a couple of strands as I came, my very world dissolving in a fit of fire.

Kakashi followed me soon after, his wetness covering my tummy.

Muffling his snarl of pleasure in my neck, the fingers that had been slowly pulling in and out of me, relaxed to a stop.

We were silent.

His huffs against my skin coming out in scratching pants while my own still ended on slight whines as my throat complained of the strain and the fact that it couldn't cry out from the remaining aftershocks of his talented fingers.

His ever so talented fingers.

Flopping to my pillow, I relaxed my hold on him, thinking that I would clean up in a bit.

There was a cute kiss on my shoulder as he looked up at me from his vantage point, his naked face just as bare as it showed me his slight vulnerability.

Knowing what he wanted to ask but was too man to try and phrase it to words, I leaned close and pecked his nose, a smile on my lips as I whispered:

"You were incredible."

…o0o…

Ten chapters left.


	19. A Garden, A Pervert And A Gai

A Garden, A Pervert And A Gai

**Kakashi followed me soon after, muffling his snarl of pleasure in my neck, the fingers that had been slowly pulling in and out of me, relaxed to a stop. **

**We were silent. **

**His huffs against my skin coming out in scratching pants while my own still ended on slight whines as my throat complained of the strain and the fact that it couldn't cry out from the remaining aftershocks of his talented fingers. **

**His ever so talented fingers. **

**Flopping to my pillow, I relaxed my hold on him, thinking that I would clean up in a bit. **

**There was a cute kiss on my shoulder as he looked up at me from his vantage point, his naked face just as bare as it showed me his slight vulnerability.**

**Knowing what he wanted to ask but was too man to try and phrase it to words, I leaned close and pecked his nose, a smile on my lips as I whispered:**

"**You were incredible."**

…o0o…

I grunted as a particularly large clump of dirt finally gave way, the roots of the previous dead plant dangling like some plant-ish version of animal entrails.

Sighing, I threw it into the bag with the rest of the dead plant matter, wiping the sweat from my forehead with the back of a wrist. I probably was leaving a streak of dirt behind for my troubles.

It was so incredibly hot that I could barely stand it.

I was melting in only my bra and shorts but frankly, the only way I would survive is if I was wearing nothing at all, however I didn't trust the perverts in this place.

There was a smile on my lips before I caught it. Well, I trusted _one_ pervert.

And he just so happened to be sitting on top of the wall that led up to the arching roof, still clad in black but he actually had a sleeveless top on but still with that insufferable mask that I tried to convince him to remove but got a glare for my efforts.

Standing, I stretched, feeling the cracks begin from the base before spreading up, relieving the tension thankfully.

"You're burning," Kakashi said mildly as he glanced up from his book momentarily.

I scanned over my shoulders and saw the way it was turning a slight reddish colour and shrugged walking over to him so I stood with his knees bracketing my shoulders as I looked up at him.

"It'll turn brown later," I said flippantly, resting my hands not so innocently on the tops of his thighs, my thumbs pressing on his belt loops. "Unless you're willing to rub in the lotion for me?"

He looked up barely to just give me a smirk before turning back to his book.

"Somehow I doubt that it would just result only in rubbing in lotion," but he actually put aside his book, holding his place with one finger as he bent so his breath hissed through his mask, brushing over my skin. "But you get points for trying though."

I tried to bite back my smile from the parroting of words from the other day but I most likely failed.

"But 'Kashi," I pouted, pushing myself to my tiptoes, leaning so my forehead was rested against his stomach and it was barely any relief from the burning sun as the black was holding in all the heat. "I'm so _hot_."

I felt his fingers stroke across my sweaty hair and I sighed in relief, not knowing why his touch made everything better while doing nothing at all.

"Then you know what we should do about that?" his voice purred next to my ear deceptively.

My ears perked up and an eye opened to look into his as I leaned closer to where I could see the slight marks where his lips were.

"No…what?" I breathed as I leaned closer, my lips almost brushing his before all I felt was cool air and lack of Kakashi's addictive lips.

"Go inside," he chuckled at his cruel show of his power over me.

I whined.

"You're such a tease," I grumbled, my head just resting over his crotch now.

His fingers resumed stroking over my sweaty hair.

"You love it anyway," he said blasé.

I growled. But it wouldn't do much good from the effect that it probably had, which was that of a petulant puppy.

"I'm not sure that I do," my finger traced in front of my face and under my cheek I felt a certain something harden.

I bit my lip again to try and hide my victorious smile but I had the feeling that Kakashi could see it.

"Too bad, so sad," he clucked his tongue, his hand abandoning its stroked on my head and moving to my clammy neck and to my shoulders.

The normal embarrassment should have been there but since he has seen the worse of me, namely my scars, I thought that a little bit of sweat wouldn't exactly faze the imperturbable Kakashi.

"You know what else is sad?" I asked quietly, my finger flicking the little zip which could lead me to untuck Kakashi Jr.

I glanced up through my dark eyelashes and from where I was standing, I saw the desire in his blackened eye as he stared back down at me expectantly.

I leaned closer to him, on my very tips of my toes.

"…Is that you aren't getting any either," I turned to go back down to my room to get some more sunscreen.

But I didn't even get that far as I felt large hands span my ribs, holding me with a fierce grip.

"I don't think this is how it works," he growled into my ear as his nose pushed its way past the blue hair behind my ear.

I giggled at the ticklish feeling, squirming in his arms.

"Does 'ickle Kakashi still not know how mummies and daddies work?" I teased, my bottom just rubbing against him where I felt him jolt into me.

I chuckled, my hands holding onto his hands, my eyes shutting against the blare of the sun, just lying, basking in my own personal heater.

"I'll show you 'ickle," his words were growled into my ear as the hands that were pressing against my tanned skin moved to push against the white cotton, his thumbs just about to dive into my bra when the small door leading to my room burst open with a harried Ino.

We sprung apart guiltily but the blonde was uncaring as she scrutinised the garden that I had bloomed successfully.

I beamed just taking in my work.

It was a myriad of colours, the various plants hanging and placed along the wall. The freshly painted bench just the glory in the centre of the square like court yard.

Even the railing had been reinforced that looked out over the industrial side of the village.

I sighed, scrubbing the back of my neck, grimacing at the sweat that came back on my fingers.

"It's looking great, lightbulb," Ino turned back to me, her hands on her hips, just wearing the mirror image of my own clothes just dyed purple. "We're having a party here."

Startled, I didn't know how to respond.

"Oh, well," I started, my nose being scrubbed with a nervous knuckle. "That's cool…"

"They're coming in about an hour," she said firmly before marching back the way she came, ducking under the door frame.

I stood there gaping and turned to Kakashi who just shrugged his shoulders, his hands going to dig into his pockets.

"But I-" I replied futilely to no one, my shoulder sagging.

I didn't want to share this with anyone.

No one but Kakashi.

There was no way I could fight against nature and Ino was Mother Nature herself.

So with a sigh, I ducked under the door frame too, going to take a shower.

…o0o…

I stood in front of my bed with the floaty summer dress in front of me but I somehow found myself…distracted.

My shoulders were pressed hard against the wall next to the bed and Kakashi's pants were loud to my ears as I felt myself flash all over with the electric feeling of him so close and his skin touching mine.

I tore my face away.

"'Kashi, I gotta," I stumbled over my words as my limbs spread mixed messages as my fingers hauled him closer along with my vine like leg, twirling around the nearest leg to me, to avoid him even think of moving.

"Well, let me go," he responded cockily, knowing that I could barely manage to keep my body alive it was so overloaded with his touch.

I had to remember to blink, breathe, swallow, breathe, beat my heart.

It was all too much too fast!

"Thought you wanted to," I broke off to moan as his tongue was devilish in its play upon my nipples. I caught my breath again desperately. "-Wanted to go slow?"

There was a low chuckle that had my nerves singing and my common sense recoiling in dread.

"If you want slow, I can give you slow," his fingers that were rubbing around me had decided to stop other than a slight twitching that made my limbs shake all the more, like a wizened tree trembling under the wild force of the western winds.

"You're being mean," I gasped, my eyes barely holding open as my vision went blurry.

The tongue pressing against my own meant that my comment barely deserved an answer and the way that my world was slowly tilting on its axis, I was inclined to agree with him.

The beeping in my ears was an undertone to the throbbing of blood rushing through them instead and the whirring was louder than normal but I decided that it was just the rasp of my skin against the wall.

The finger twitched against me again and I wailed inside Kakashi's mouth, a blackness creeping in at the edges of my vision, telling of my impeding unconsciousness, if I didn't pull away right that second.

I stayed where I was.

However, it was Kakashi who pulled me off my support of the wall, laying my naked body on the bed, over my sun dress, leaving my towel on the floor, abandoned.

"You're loving this, aren't you?" I gasped out, one of my hands flopping to lie on top of my beating heart that was freaking out and doing a rapid cancan and I could feel myself feeling faint still.

"Damn, and here I was trying to hide it," his low voice replied as he kissed his way down my lethargic body.

My hand barely combed away his fringe before his tongue caught on my swollen and over sensitised clit which had me hissing and my body barely able to keep up before the tongue was darting in my passage, another welcome hot muscle.

_Why are you freaking out?_ I wanted to ask but kept my mouth silently open.

I had a way of killing the mood, but I knew why he was being so lustful and it wasn't because of our 'relationship'.

Well, it kind of had an effect but it wasn't the main reason.

I suspected it would be because it would be the first time Sakura and Kakashi would be in a situation together without him pretending to be drunk and both with their significant other halves.

Pulling himself up, Kakashi didn't venture far as he rested his forehead against my stomach as he kept laying little butterfly kisses around my belly button making me wriggle happily, much to the annoyance of my conscious.

Not able to keep it in any longer, I opened my mouth.

"You're nervous," I stated lightly, looking down at him as my hand unconsciously combed its way through his unruly hair.

It hurt a tiny bit that he still cared about what Sakura thought. Maybe he regretted breaking up with her? Or she with him? What if they got back together at the party?

I would break into little pieces.

Little tiny pieces so no one could try and find me again, pathetic as it was.

There was the sound of shifting and I felt the hair between my fingers being removed and my vision was obscured with the sight of the face that I was slowly coming to crave.

I tried to turn my head to the side, not wanting him to see me being so weak and insecure and overall pathetic but he cupped a cheek firmly, turning me back to face him.

"I'm only nervous that she will cause a scene," he murmured, his lips pecking against mine lightly before pulling away, his eye looking drowsy. "I was trying to reassure you."

I arched a brow, my confidence lifting as I pressed my own hand against the side of his face.

"You should try to reassure me more often," I replied amused, my own head tilting up to kiss his bare lips.

His eye crinkled as his crooked, roguish smirk came to play on his mouth.

"I shall endeavour to fulfil your wish _master_," he whispered teasingly back before his tongue was playing a scorching fencing match with mine.

I groaned, managing to tear my face away in time before I was sucked all the way in.

"I really do need to get ready," I mumbled before I was taken again.

"Five more minutes," he muttered as he worked back down my body.

And this time, I couldn't find it in my heart to say no as I screamed "YES!"

…o0o…

He lied to her. Earlier wasn't about him reassuring he was hers.

No, it was about reassuring himself that _she_ was _his_.

What he wouldn't give just to be back in his flat making her scream out his name.

But at this point in time he had to stay, to make sure that none of his friends made any moves on her.

Or more specifically, his arch rival, Gai.

Kakashi's lip sneered as he watched as he preached to Jenny who just looked bemused.

Their eyes caught and as cliché as it was, he felt his heart beat quicken and continued to think of ways to get her to return home with him early.

However, no matter all the escape routes he thought of, he knew she wouldn't leave as she wanted to guard her garden against the violent lot of Rookie Nine.

Sighing, the scent of all the flowers were pressing in on his nose, almost alighting his hay fever but he just kept his eye closed for as much as his jealousy would allow to try and hide the redness of it.

He continued to wonder how they all managed to fit into the small courtyard along with a long table of food, but ultimately decided not to question it as he rolled his shoulders against the wall, getting more comfortable.

Kurenai and Asuma were standing next to each other, back together again after a bout of a lover's spat and were managing to make what Kakashi thought was relatively small jealousy flare as he just wanted to stride up to where Jenny was a haul her away.

But at least she knew how he felt about PDA and wasn't pressuring him for it.

However, there was a little part of him that wished that she would try and force some on him much alike Sakura did long ago to remind him of how she liked him.

Then everything roiling around inside of him was calmed when Jenny's bright blue eyes looked over at him again, flashing, giving a small smile that she was trying to hide with the bite of her two front teeth.

Sighing, Kakashi even thought of trying to get out of this one more time when Sakura and Sasuke approached him.

There was a very large part of him that wished he could just poof away but he knew that Jenny would be hurt that he left without telling her. But there was also the part that overwhelmed and dominated the other half, with the wish to stay there and show that they didn't mean much of anything to him anymore.

"Sensei," Sasuke drawled, his hand clasped with Sakura's.

Kakashi nodded his head to each before pretending to go to sleep.

"I was just here," Sakura began softly, "to see if your hay fever needed any work?"

That surprised him, but not enough to make it show as he languidly opened his eye again.

He shrugged as one hand came to cup the nape of his neck. "Nah, I think I'll survive."

He had no problem with the couple in front of him any longer, it was their decision not to act awkward anymore, not his.

But still, there they stood awkward.

They were thankfully saved by the loud voice of Gai came followed by the tinkling laughter of Jenny as they came closer to the trio.

"I can't believe Kakashi would do that," she giggled as she turned her face upwards to him, her steps leading her to his side. "You sounded like such a wild child." She teased as she leaned on the shady wall next to him.

Subtly, he linked his lower finger with hers briefly before releasing it. There was a very happy part of him that noticed the way that she beamed up at him brighter than ever when he did and he realised that maybe she was still a little insecure about him being around Sakura again.

Looking away to Gai, he narrowed his eye on him.

"What story did you tell her?"

Gai beamed, giving a thumbs up.

"The youthful story of your young love with the lady of the night in Suna!" the sparkles around his body were enough to make Kakashi see stars in his already blurry vision.

He scowled under his mask and was so tempted to hit him right then, but remembered his pride and how it never allowed him to react to the things that the other, "more youthful" man said.

Jenny's finger linked around his reassuringly and the embarrassment and rage that he felt boiling under the surface of his skin lessened and cooled under her very touch.

"I'm sure that it would be very, uh youthful," Jenny said, trying to diffuse the tension, "if maybe we shouldn't talk about past, secret selves."

Her smile softened and brightened the sparkles around Gai's body and everyone flinched in surprise.

"You, youthful beauty are a delectable treat!" he yelled making only Jenny jump in surprise as the rest of the ninja world had learned to adapt to his nature. "We must have dinner!"

She blinked once, twice, three times, confused.

"Did you just-?" she looked up at Kakashi, "did he just ask me out?"

Yes, yes he did, much to his annoyance that made him thankful that he was wearing a mask to cover the corners of his lips turning down in dissatisfaction.

"Yes beautiful desert flower! I would wish to court you and have our love be a symbol for all the youth in this village!" his hand took hers, but there was a tight hold on her other hand from Kakashi, that was just hidden behind her thigh. "My rival would be so jealous and I would sweep you into my arms and have beautiful love where we would hope that you would be fertile and bless us with many children!"

Jenny's face slowly lost its smile as she started to look scared and began trying to futilely attempt to remove her hand from his grip.

"Oh, well," she flexed her fingers to try and worm her way out of his grip, "as much as I would love that, I am otherwise, a uh-"

She hesitated, looking up at him.

"She is already taken," he said abruptly, taking the decision out of her hands, removing his pinkie finger from around hers and placed it on her hip, tugging her against his body.

Everyone looked startled and those who were looking on in bemusement now looked in shock at the sight of the Copy Nin with the girl by his side whose flushed cheeks weren't from the hot summer sun.

"Ah, so you wish to be my rival in love?" Gai cried out indignantly, his hands reaching out to the blunette. "Well, I challenge you to making Jenny-chan climax as many times as it takes, before you release yourself too!"

Jenny looked horrified and instead of staying in the comforting circle of Kakashi's arms, ducked under and hid behind him, and through his shirt he could feel the way her hands trembled.

Luckily, Kakashi was able to get out of having to release his frustrations on the shiny black haired man by pushing his fist through his nose, by the little pinkette beside him doing it for him.

No one was more shocked than him as the blood spurted from the youthful man and from the way he was propelled out of the garden party and over the village with the force of the punch.

Shaking her hand out, Sakura turned back to the pair who were just looking at her owlishly. Even his eye was wider than most times.

Still feeling the shakes, Kakashi just turned his back on the others as he stared down at Jenny's wilted body.

His hand cradled her cheek questioningly, his thumb tilting her chin upwards so she wouldn't be able to avoid his gaze.

Without even asking what he was avoiding to say in front of others, she nodded as her own hand came to hesitantly rest on his hip.

Nodding subtly, he went to turn around to face his small audience again but Jenny caught his face in her hand. Then the skin seemed to numb under the touch but he still felt his heart skip just at her avoiding his social norms.

"Are you feeling okay?" she asked looking into his eye and was probably seeing the irritated redness of the whites.

He shrugged, pretending it wasn't as bad as it looked although it was beginning to itch like crazy and he knew it was only a matter of time before it would leak water and then everyone would assume that it was from the _feelings_ that the dispute between Gai and him.

Then he really would never live it down.

Jenny's mouth tightened before looking over his shoulder.

"We'll be back in a bit!" and then tugged on his hand through the open doorway, gifted with the sounds of wolf whistles in the background as they strode through her room and into her bathroom.

Bending down, Jenny reached for the pill bottle on the shelf below the sink.

"I didn't know you suffered from hay fever," she chided, shaking out two purple pills before closing the cap with a snap.

Kakashi shook his head as she offered them to him.

"I don't like taking pills," he stated, his arms folding across his chest stubbornly.

He wasn't going to take the antihistamines. He wasn't.

He'll just suffer through it like a man.

She folded her own arms, her brow arching as she saw the slight twitch in his hand as it tried to reach up to his face and _itch_.

Sighing, she closed her eyes for a brief moment as she put the pills in my open mouth with a swallow of water before yanking down Kakashi's mask and kissing him with all her might.

He let out a sound of surprise then resignation as she poured the water from her mouth into his, along with the pills so he had to swallow them.

Hearing the sound of his gulp, she pulled away, smiling brightly, a thumb coming up to push away the water that had missed his mouth.

He snorted before letting the hands that had settled against her hips to tug her closer to him.

"So demanding," he muttered his mouth narrowing the distance between them, trying not to seem over eager for her lips to be on his again.

"And yet you keep coming back for more," she teased, just letting his touch overpower her again.

…o0o…

It was so damn hot!

I rolled again, my overheated legs tangling with Kakashi's again.

Sighing, I flopped onto my back as I glared at the ceiling.

After the garden party ended, or more importantly, Naruto and Sasuke beginning to fight and destroying the garden, everyone left just as the sunset began to die under the pressure of the night sky.

And unwisely, Kakashi and I had decided to crash in my bed. On possibly the hottest night of the entire summer.

There was sweat beading on my brow and I wanted to cuddle with my duvet but it was too hot, yet without the cuddling of the duvet covering my body, I couldn't sleep.

It was my worst nightmare.

I heard Kakashi stir next me and I stilled, not wanting to keep him awake too.

"Firefly, I know you're up," he said muzzily, and by the moonlight, I saw him bring a fist come up to rub away the sleep from one of his eyes.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" I murmured, knowing how thin the walls were and was unsure if Ino would put up a fuss with him staying the night.

I doubted it since I heard her and Shikamaru getting it on for the most part before Kakashi arrived again from his own flat.

"Nah," he flopped back, his hand tucked comfortable under his head as he lay on his back.

I couldn't contain the bit of aggravation that he was taking up most of the bed and seemed like my personal heater.

If it was colder, I would actually _enjoy_ sleeping next to him.

However, since it felt like I had the sun under my skin…I was just wishing, traitorously, for him to just sleep on the floor or something.

The guilt ate me up as soon as I thought it and immediately felt remorseful.

It wasn't his fault that the one night that I was going to push the slow boundaries, it had to be the hottest night ever known to existence, immediately sucking the energy from my very bones.

Huffing, my eyes were drawn to the night sky outside my window and most of my mood dissipated under the sight of all the stars.

I never truly got to look up at the night sky that was unobstructed by the light pollution of a city.

Then I realised it would be cooler outside and with the stars, I could finally sleep under then.

Rolling myself out of the bed, I pulled out the futon cushions and made a beeline for the courtyard by my window.

"Jenny, what are you doing?"

I looked over my shoulder to see a bleary Kakashi pushing himself up, tensing up his abdominals.

It was almost enough to pull me back to try breaching the boundaries again.

But when I felt the sweat drip down the small of my back, the mood immediately soured.

"I'm going to sleep under the stars," I whispered, "you don't have to worry about coming with me, I know your allergies are pretty bad at the moment."

"I'll survive," he swung his legs out of the bed and picked up the remaining futon pillows.

I beamed, despite the fact that I was sentencing him to an uncomfortable night of hay fever.

Ten minutes later, we were lying outside and I confirmed that it was cooler so this time I finally got to cuddle into Kakashi's side where I heard the wheezes.

I winced, pushing myself to an elbow, I saw that he had tried to sleep without his mask, so the material wasn't blocking most of the pollen.

I was taken out of my pity by seeing my fingers glowing, a pulsing light, trying to get my attention.

And without my permission, I saw the way that it came to rest on the side of his face and other than a warm feeling flooding over me like after a hot bath, I heard Kakashi's breathing begin to even out as his throat opened again.

"Better?" I asked.

"Much," he sighed, his hand curling around my waist, tugging me back to his side.

My head was pillowed by the junction between his shoulder and chest, gazing up at the stars.

It was silent. Peaceful.

Yet I was wide awake now that I had to get used to not feeling like I was boiling alive.

"Know many constellations?" I asked, my own eyes staring wistfully up at them.

His chest rumbled under me, alerting me to the fact that I had asked a question but had forgotten to listen to the answer.

"Sorry?" I peered up at him and from my vantage point I could see the grey stubble where he missed it shaving.

Shaking his head, Kakashi chuckled, his chest vibrating under me, tickling me slightly.

"A couple," he replied vaguely, the ninja in him coming out.

I shook my head against his bare skin which I noticed was not gleaming with sweat unlike my own from being in my stuffy room for most of the night.

"I only know the big dipper," I traced my finger around a pectoral. "How are you not sweating?" I finally blurted, my curiosity too much to contain.

"Magic," he answered cryptically, his hand tightening on my waist.

I ducked my head back down, content not to know, just delighting in his touch and the stars that were all but laying a blanket down on top of our bodies.

Kakashi's hand raised as he pointed up to the vast dome above us.

"The north star is there," his arm flopped back, lying above his head lazily.

I frowned, sitting slightly up as I squinted.

"Where?"

I felt his presence as he followed me upwards, his breath caressed my ear and I felt my breath hitch traitorously.

His arm came up again, however my eyes were more focussed on the way his forearm muscles were highlighted in the bright moonlight.

"There," his breath was a mere whisper that I was afraid I would have missed it if he wasn't so close.

"I think I see it," I lied.

I wasn't really focusing on the little yellow lights dotting the skies.

And I think he knew that.

For when my eyes were still tracing the sky absently, his hand that was perched by my hip, cupped it, drawing me closer to his side as the other tucked under my chin as he tugged it round to face his, aligning our faces perfectly.

"I think someone is telling porkies," he breathed before I was taken over by the stars erupting from my lips.

I didn't even have the heart to laugh at the totally juvenile line as I let myself be sucked into his orbit.


	20. A Bath Time Revelation

A Bath Time Revelation

"**There," his breath was a mere whisper that I was afraid I would have missed it if he wasn't so close.**

"**I think I see it," I lied. **

**I wasn't really focusing on the little yellow lights dotting the skies. **

**And I think he knew that. **

**For when my eyes were still tracing the sky absently, his hand that was perched by my waist cupped it, drawing me closer to his side as the other tucked under my chin as he tugged it round to face his, aligning our faces perfectly. **

"**I think someone is being false," he breathed before I was taken over by the stars erupting from my lips.**

…o0o…

It turns out that we didn't get to appreciate the stars for very long. It felt like I had only just gotten to sleep when I felt Kakashi trying to subtly move out from under me.

But I was a light sleeper so whenever someone tried to move me, I usually woke up and moved for them.

"Huh?" I raised my head blearily off his chest, glancing around. "What time is it?"

"Sorry, I have a mission to take care of," he whispered back, one hand coming to cup my cheek.

I felt my face fall and tried to hide my disappointment as I smile weakly.

"Oh, right sure," I sat up, looking down at my hands.

"It's only three days firefly," he murmured before capturing my lips in a kiss that almost made me fearful that he thought he wasn't going to come back.

I gulped, my hands tightening on his neck, refusing to let go if that was the case as one of my knees lifted up and settled on the other side of Kakashi's hip, straddling him and pinning him down.

"You know that's not going to work," he chided teasingly, however I didn't feel his hands loosen on my thighs, rather he began to massage them with a tenacity that it confirmed my suspicions that he might not come back.

"I'm not really hearing a 'no'," I whispered with a brittle smile that I could see Kakashi monitoring before he buried his face in my neck inhaling deeply. "And why are you always sniffing me?"

He chuckled and the rumbles in his chest made me flash with heat as I clung tighter than a baby monkey to its mother.

"You know you'll have to let go of me eventually," he knowingly side stepped my evasion and attempt to keep him here a little longer.

"Again, I'm not hearing you ordering me to," I moved my nose over his ear, breathing slightly and I could have sworn I saw it twitch like a dogs ear before I felt his hands that had rearranged at the top of my bottom, tighten.

I skimmed my nose down his throat and let my lips lay just on the base of his neck, knowing that he really _did_ have to go soon. But I just wanted one more minute.

Just one.

My lips continued to rove and make haste in their need to mark his unblemished skin with my mark while he was away. As if that would convince him to come home faster.

But even I knew that it was a futile thought.

Sighing, I pulled away and clambered off of him, my eyes downcast.

"Jenny," his voice told me to look up at him.

I didn't.

Instead, I looked away petulantly, just digging my toe into the clean cracks of the ground.

"Jenny," this time I saw his bare feet coming towards me and I saw the way his hands cradled my hips now, pulling me closer to his body because he knew that was my weakness.

"Jenny," his voice just now sounded tired and I looked up and saw his own resigned eye and realised I was just being selfish in my need to keep him here.

I pushed myself up on my tip toes, laying a chaste, lingering kiss before pulling away.

"Be safe and I'll make you dinner," I ordered quietly before bending to pick up all the futon cushions and the sheets.

"How romantic," Kakashi helped me too before coming into my room and putting them in their respective draws. "Will there be candle light, rose petals, oo maybe even a pudgy cupid?"

I snorted, slightly unladylike but I didn't very much care.

"Just get out before I tackle you and tie you to my bed," I said lightly, my hands itching to do something, so I pretended I was straightening my pillow on my bed, refusing to see the back of him.

"Now that sounds promising," he said softly before allowing one kiss to press against the nape of my neck before his mouth enclosed around the fleshy skin of my neck, biting down punishingly mimicking me from earlier.

I jumped and let out a small yip of surprise before it quickly turned to a pulsing heat that made it all the harder for when I turned around, all that was left was the whirls of smoke as he had disappeared.

…o0o…

I sighed as I continued to perch on my seat at the café.

For once, it was actually running slow and I had time to read my book but I could barely get into it.

The rain was pounding outside and it was just like a waterfall as it came down in a sheet over the large front windows.

But that could be why it was so quiet as no one wanted to venture out into the rain just to get a cake, no matter how good they were.

I sighed again, resting my cheek against a fist, the Icha Icha in my hand was a heavy weight in my fingers as all it did was remind me that Kakashi would only be coming back that day and no sooner.

My eyes began to roam of their own accord as they spotted in the dark corner Ino and Shikamaru and how the blonde rested in his lap giving out girlish giggles that had me envious.

That was just me and Kakashi the other day, but maybe with the less lovey dovey-ness.

God, I needed to get a _grip_. Next thing you would see is me dressing in black, as I mourned 'woe is me', doing all kinds of satanic things.

I was yanked out of my musings when a runner who braved the rain came charging in, stumbling. I straightened alarmed, unsure of what to make of the situation, my eyes caught on with Ino's.

She didn't know either as she gave a helpless shrug before clambering off Shikamaru's lap, going to investigate.

The man was gasping and I quickly rounded the counter to try and offer my help but Ino got there first.

I caught the tail end of what was saying and I felt my heart speed up happily.

"…you…told…me…to…inform…you…when," he cut off gasping still, a hand over his chest, "Copy Nin was…back."

I barely had to look at Ino to see that she gave me permission to leave.

Palming off my heels, I didn't even see the point of going to the hook to get my coat in my eagerness to see him. It would only waste that precious minute extra.

Soon I was sprinting in the rain. Inhaling the water as I went, my stockings ripping across all the pavement slabs, running ladders.

The heavy pound of water on my head barely stopped me as I went down this alley and that, continuously getting lost despite the fact that I had lived there for at least more than two months.

Luckily, I barely had to dodge anyone since there was no one there to comment on the crazy woman running as if her life depended on it.

Finally, just as I was rounding the corner I saw the gates and I saw the slump of his shoulders first through the thick water screen. I beamed.

"Kakashi!" I waved wildly, continuing to race towards him.

His eye looked up droopily before straightening up, removing his bag quickly, knowing what happened last time, his hands were free enough to catch my flying body with strong hands again.

Despite removing his unbalanced weight of his back pack, he forgot to take into account of the mud (_again!_) being particularly slippery and coupled with my force, it sent us flying back, landing hard in the brown squelching mess.

I shrieked, but still the liquid dirt managed to splash all over me too.

We just stared at each other before laughing and Kakashi's hands tightened around my waist while his nose dug into the skin under my hair, a hand at the nape of my neck, holding me so I couldn't move away.

"You really are clumsy," I said into his ear, hiding my own face in his muddy, grey hair.

There was a grumble of protest before a little nip in the exact place as my goodbye hickey.

I pulled away quickly.

"Nuh uh," I scolded, wagging my finger in his face.

I marvelled at the sight of his masked face with the splashes of mud covering him, slowly being washed away by the torrential rain.

Despite the dirt, I leaned in and pressed my lips quickly to his masked ones before pulling away, offering him my hand.

His eye crinkled mischievously and before I knew it, he had grabbed my hand and yanked me back down, letting my knees become slick with the mud on the ground beneath him as he snatched his mask down and crushed our lips together.

And it had never tasted so good.

In spite of the mud under all the passion, I tasted the spearmint on his tongue and the truth that he had come back to me safe and whole and _alive_.

Managing to get a breath, I saw that there was a slight victorious grin on his face as he pulled his mask back over his nose.

I rolled my eyes as I once again climbed upwards, holding my hand out.

"Don't look so smug," my fingers gripped his and I yanked him upwards before bending to pick up his bag. "It was just a pity thing."

I could still feel the superiority radiating out of him despite my back being turned towards him, trying to lift his bag despite it being too heavy for me.

I struggled to even drag it and after letting me suffer for a minute, he took it back and carried it over his back like it was the weight of a purse rather than something that felt like it was overloaded with elephants.

Even my hidden senses could tell that he was trying to hide his laughs from me.

Batting his arm, I began to walk in the direction of his flat quickly to get out of the rain.

Kakashi hurriedly caught up, a slight sway in his step that made me believe that he was more tired or injured than he let on.

"You okay?" I asked, not waiting for his reply as I methodically looped his arm over my shoulder much alike I did when he pretended to be drunk.

He grunted but did let a little of his weight settle on me although keeping up a guard like he was really fine.

I rolled my eyes again and continued onto his flat.

After many a gruelling journey I could barely stand myself by the time we had reached his front door, unlocked all the locks and get him to the bathroom so he didn't muddy up the rest of his apartment. Not that he would ever notice, but I cared at least a little enough that I let him strip in the comfort of tiled flooring which would ultimately be an easier clean up.

Finally, it seemed like Kakashi could show a little weakness as he slumped himself against the counter, his bag dropping heavily at our feet.

Hurriedly drawing a bath, I let him have the time alone as I stripped.

I averted my eyes so as not to be tempted to just jump his bones right then and there. It had been a very long week.

Hurriedly scooping up our muddy clothes, I rushed out of the bathroom to go and wash our clothes in the washing machine but I threw away my stockings, knowing that they were a lost cause.

I still felt the chill on my skin that told me I couldn't wait for when I could take a bath myself. Instead I just went into Kakashi's room and stole one of his t-shirts and my knickers that I had stashed in my old draws

Clothed again in dry clothes with only some of my warmth coming back, I headed to the kitchen to find it just as clean as when I tidied it.

Turning to his fridge, I remembered stocking it the day before with all the goods that I could put in a delicious meal of pork cuttings.

I hesitated.

He _did_ look pretty down, maybe I should make him a sandwich to keep him going?

I was moving on auto pilot and before I knew what I was doing, I had found that my hands had made him a cheese and ham sandwich before I had realised.

Is this the feeling of being completely whipped? I frowned.

Could girls even get whipped? I snorted thinking to whatever my friends would say to that, and how I would respond. _Not _that_ kind of whipped._

I was moving to the bathroom where I heard the little laps of the bath water hitting the sides.

Turning the corner, I saw the sneaky pervert trying to clamber quickly back in, a bandage hanging slightly off his frame, like a pathetic cape.

I scowled, placing the sandwich on the side, hurrying over to his side.

Now that his skin was bare I could actually see the splotches of all the bruises caressing his ribs and from the slight angle of his wrist I saw that it wasn't properly aligned.

Wincing, I grabbed the little crate from the corner that never actually held anything in (I'm pretty sure that it was Kakashi's unsuspecting weapon of choice if he was caught in the nude), I sat and pulled his arm across his body and gently to me.

"What have you done this time?" I tsked, my fingers already beginning to glow as they felt the injury through the layers of skin.

Kakashi didn't reply just kept his eye on his book that I knew he wasn't reading from the way his shoulders had stiffened in their slouch.

Against my will, my hand stroked up his arm until it cupped his neck, a sign of tenderness that I wouldn't usually show any man in a relationship. Unlike this.

I could also tell that the pervert wanted to ignore it but from the way his hand folded the Icha Icha book and laid it on the side so he could hold the hand with his, that he didn't do this either.

Sighing, I let my hand wander to his ribs, moving the bandage out of the way so my hand could reach skin to skin contact.

I felt the exchange of energy as I sent the healing magic through him and I heard the almost inaudible pops again as the bones realigned.

Wishing I had a stronger stomach, I had to hold in my grimace of distaste at the sound of bones fixing followed by the vertigo.

After it stopped, I raised my hand to where his mask was and lowered it to inspect his face.

Other than a bruised cheek bone and split lower lip, they were easily fixed by my power.

Pulling away, I glared at him with a shrewd eye.

"Anywhere else and you better not lie to me," I kept up my steady staring until Kakashi raised his right leg and there I saw it was swollen.

Shifting downwards, I let my hand cup the heated flesh between two glowing hands and I could have sworn in my mind's eye I saw the x-ray of the joint and noticed that it was only slightly out of place before my touch had healed it all.

Sighing, I flopped against the nearby wall, nearly exhausted, a slight sheen of sweat lightly blanketing my forehead.

"You alright?" there was a sloshing of water that signalled Kakashi trying to get out of the tub and I quickly batted my hand to get him to stay where he was.

Not that the idiot listened as I felt a hand rest against my clammy forehead.

"It…will…be over in a bit," I murmured, my pants slowing as I felt my fever that was running under my skin cooled.

My eyes snapping open, I smiled as I felt my body even out its metabolic rates and stood up in the small space between Kakashi's towel clad body and the wall.

Then all I felt was a slight arousal at the sight of the large expanse of flesh, ready for the biting, licking.

My heart seemed frustrated as it tried to fight its way out from my cavity and my mouth dropped, tempting the drool to come out and join it.

"Finish up your bath and I'll bring you your dinner," I said, rushing back out of the door a slight flush left over from his proximity.

…o0o…

Replacing the lid where it was boiling, I sighed as I surveyed the almost immaculate kitchen.

I always hated mess when you were cooking. I mean, is it really so hard to tidy up after yourself as you go?

Shaking my head, I still felt the chills deep set in my bones along with the slight taste of dirt on my mouth from the impromptu dunking in the mud.

Knowing that dinner had an hour left, I decided I could take a quick shower and read on the couch until dinner was ready.

Skipping to the hallway closet, my hands completely familiar with the layout, I grabbed one of the more durable towels and headed into the steam filled bathroom. I glanced over to where Kakashi resided in the tub and saw even his hair had flopped down in relaxation.

He squinted over his shoulder with his one eye then down at my hand where the towel lay before looking back up at me.

While I didn't intend to walk over to him, stripping all the way, I somehow managed to bravely stand in front of him, waiting for him to tell me I could climb in with him.

His eye lazily scrolled up my body before it joint with my gaze and a little bit of a spark flared.

Widening his legs and spreading his arms all he said was:

"It was getting cold anyway."

My smile wobbled nervously and I grabbed my book off the side as I clambered in, settling myself between his hairy legs.

I had barely contained my yelp because I could have sworn it was hotter than when I set it then I noticed the little line that Kakashi had drawn for me when we lived together, telling me not to go further than that green line (the cheap skate) and I realised that it was a lot higher than when I filled the tub.

I was jerked out of my thoughts when Kakashi pressed a palm to my stomach, pulling my back closer to his front.

"You have mud on your neck," he said pleasantly and all the naughty thoughts that had been wasting away in the back of my mind finally died.

I arched a look over my shoulder where I saw his stare was resolutely on his book that was off to the side.

Huffing, I tried to focus on my own book but the hand was a very obvious presence on my tummy and it had an air of finality about it that meant that if I did move it (which I wouldn't), it would just move somewhere else, somewhere more embarrassing.

Because that was what the situation was to me: embarrassing.

For example, before Kakashi I would never have been truly confident in pulling moves like the one that I had just committed. Showers I could deal with because your eye line had to go really out of the way to actually notice anything.

But with this bath, it felt more…intimate.

We weren't moving, in fact we were both seemingly oblivious to each other's presence. Well, one of us anyway. But we were both undeniably close, like one wrong move could set something off.

I wasn't sure I would be able to bear the intensity if he did.

The water sloshed as Kakashi shifted his legs and I felt himself brush against my lower back and without warning my face blushed and I tried to bury my face in my book as I drew my knees up to my chest, trying to subtly cover it up.

His hand tightened on my stomach as he drew me ever closer, his thumb moving in teasing little circles.

I don't think that he actually noticed himself doing it.

That was, until I felt his breath ghost over my ear.

"Do you need someone to scrub your back?" while posed as a question, it was actually a suggestion that was followed by an intervening hand which removed my book and actually _dropped_ it onto the floor.

"But, I didn't even get to remember where my page was…" I protested weakly as my blue eyes caught on his

I didn't even have time to comprehend that his face was moving closer until our breaths were clashing.

"Somehow, I don't think that you care about that right now, do you?" his voice was as low as a purr but somehow managed to be more seductive than anything before then.

I could barely shake my head before his lip was brushing mine and the sparks which I hadn't known were flying, burned me both at my core and at my mouth.

Gasping, I allowed my tongue to dash into his mouth, loving the way the water sluiced across my body before it let my skin touch his.

Kakashi cradled the back of my head, angling it so he could reach deeper into me, his breaths coming out sharp through his nose as he pressed back, making the water bellying us slosh all the more.

The heat of the water rivalled with the flush that was running and racing just under my skin feverishly.

I loved the way his skin caressed mine and I had to admit none of my past…whatever me and Kakashi were, felt like this when I ran a hand from his shoulder to rest on a pectoral, the sparks just glancing off my finger pads and attaching me to him.

Never felt like when I opened my mouth wider, they would dominate and plunder unlike with Kakashi who had now dropped his own book, his hands now digging into my hair, desperate to have me closer.

However, I couldn't actually truly appreciate it as I was in a state of shock.

He actually _dropped_ Icha Icha, without a care for its safety.

I let out a surprised sound and he swallowed it, uncaring of what was happening now that I had moved to my knees, my hands supporting themselves on his shoulders as I let him take anything he wanted from me. The water swilled around us in tiny whirlpools and covered us.

I struggled to yank myself closer on the slippery tub's floor.

Pulling away only for a second to breathe, my half lidded eyes saw the way in which his eye dilated, the way his pulse beat like a drum on his neck with the pace of a frenzied hamster's feet on a wheel.

And the way his mouth shaped my name before he came back to me.

And how I had never felt happier than I did in that moment as I crushed my lips back into his, my tongue diving towards his.

Kakashi groaned as one hand came to caress a breast, tweaking a nipple teasingly which I reciprocated to his own, much to the twitch of the guy down below the water level.

I was so happy in the moment that I almost tried to convince myself that I didn't have to go home to my family who were possibly worried sick about me. That I could stay here, in Konoha, in Kakashi's arms.

But as that thought crossed my mind, I yanked myself away abruptly. Kakashi quirked an eyebrow questioningly, his lips swollen as a hand came up, cradling my cheek.

The thought alone was more scary than anything that had happened before then and I knew, the sooner I left, the less attached I'd be in the long run.

Yet from the steady pounding of my heart that jumped when Kakashi's worn hand stroked my cheekbone, a part of me knew it was too damn late.

Especially when it travelled down the expanse of my stomach as he soon convinced me that I didn't need to think of anything again.

...o0o...

Shortest chapter yet for this story.

And I just wanted to apologise for all the quick updates, I realise I am spamming all your emails and such :3


	21. Girl's Night In

Girl's Night In

**And the way his mouth shaped my name before he came back to me.**

**And I had never felt happier than I did in that moment. **

**So happy that I almost tried to convince myself that I didn't have to go home to my family who were possibly worried sick about me. **

**As that thought crossed my mind, I yanked myself away abruptly. **

**Kakashi quirked an eyebrow questioningly, a hand cradling my cheek.**

**The thought alone was more scary than anything that had happened before then and I knew, the sooner I left, the less attached I'd be in the long run. **

**Yet from the steady pounding of my heart that jumped when Kakashi's worn hand stroked my cheekbone, a part of me knew it was too damn late.**

…o0o…

The cheap wine was flowing freely between our wine glasses as there were shrieks of laughter coupled with slaps on the table.

We were all in Ino's living room and I could feel the very walls shaking with our voices and maybe our very drunken presence.

We weren't exactly being quiet.

I let myself giggle as I took another large gulp from my wine glass, uncaring of the cheap wine taste; I had been at uni long enough to know what I could afford to have and what I couldn't. And you really couldn't afford to be picky.

Glancing around, I let myself recline into the cushions as I perused the rest of the room.

It had a few people tucked into the various chairs, I knew the others as I had briefly seen them at the garden party.

There was me, Sakura, Ino, Hinata and a girl Tenten who were just circled around the low table where all the alcohol and nail polish was located.

It was small yet lively. Just how I liked it.

Although, I had to wonder why we were trusting our drunken selves with nail polish on an obviously cared for sofa where it could be stained easily.

However, logic and alcohol have never been the best of friends so we just continued how we were with reckless abandon.

I also didn't think that Ino had thought that far ahead.

Absorbed with finishing the final layer of blood red paint on my thumb nail, I almost dropped the vial when Sakura asked it.

While I could blame it on the fact that she was drunk and that being intoxicated lets you release all the things that you had been hiding inside, it made me realise that she had been sitting on this for quite a while.

"So are you and Kakashi in looooovve?" she slurred, a manic grin on her face.

They were all hopelessly drunk I found to my abject horror and they weren't going to be sobering up any time soon.

And as Tenten said she didn't drink, we were the only two sane people left in this horrible nightmare.

And maybe also Hinata but even I had to admit, she was more vocal in that I think I actually think I heard her say an entire sentence without stuttering, demonstrating the level at which she was at.

"What about you and Sasuke?" I diverted easily, my hand suddenly beginning to shake as I tried to move the brush to my toes.

I found with this group of friends that they were into boys and that the mere mention of their counterparts and they were shrieking again, so I began to hope that maybe I had lost their interest for at least a little while.

But I was readily prepared this time for the banshees, so when Ino screeched next to me, I already had my hands over my ears.

"We have so much seeeexxxx," Sakura purred lasciviously. "Maybe a bit more than Kakashi but that's not saying much since he really couldn't keep up with me anyway."

She waved an airy hand and I really wanted to smack it and tell her that it wasn't true.

I paused.

Then again I didn't really know since we haven't actually gone all the way and even when we _did_ do all the other stuff, we both were content to go back to reading our books or something.

Thinking about it, did that make us really sad or really boring?

Not that either option is better than the other, I just thought that I needed to classify myself in at least one of the sections for future reference when I looked back on this in self-pity.

"But you never answered lightbulb," Ino drunkenly tried to throw her arm around me and accidently punched me instead.

Pain flared for a brief moment and I grimaced, a hand cradling a cheek, my eye watering reflexively just rolling with the punch.

"Yes! Jenny-san, do you love Kakashi-sensei?" Hinata hiccupped across from me and I just gaped.

Her flushed cheeks went a shade redder under my scrutiny but even then, she remained resolute.

I really wanted to avoid this conversation because I knew that I wouldn't be able to lie and I deep down, I didn't _want_ to.

I sighed, placing my bottle back on the side and got up to head to my room.

"You don't need to hide it Jenny," Sakura called after me. "I can see he loooovveess you tooo!"

Hearing the shrieks, I tried to urge it down, but my heart flared happily and the lump I hadn't realised was in my throat, grew to the size of a rounder's ball.

I near about choked.

Getting my blue rubber coat, I shrugged it on over my singlet and black pleated skirt, toeing my feet into the worn tennis shoes before racing out the door, leaving behind all the drunken shenanigans.

So drunk and unaware where my feet were taking me, I was outside Kakashi's flat before I knew it, my hand already raised.

It hesitated over the wood.

What was I doing there?

Shaking my head, just as I was about to turn and leave again, there were the tell-tale clicks and clocks of the various chains and locks being released. There was no time or place for me to suddenly hide so I just stood there, weak under my little raincoat despite the fact that it was midnight and it wasn't raining.

Kakashi looked worn and haggard, a hand unintentionally coming up to cover his already masked mouth as he yawned.

"Sorry, I know it's late," I whispered, careful with how the sound carried in this place.

He just shrugged, widening it for me and I stepped over the threshold.

…o0o…

Jenny purred in her sleep and Kakashi let his hand hold against her hair for a moment.

He didn't know why she was there, nor did she feel inclined to tell him, especially since her lips sealed over his earlier, barely giving him time to re lock his front door before she was pushing him onto the couch.

The blunette moved uneasily in her sleep and he held his breath, just waiting for her to settle before continuing to stroke her hair away from her face.

At the time, being pushed onto the couch, for a brief moment felt like pure bliss as he felt like a randy teenager once again, getting off with his girlfriend speedily before his parents got home…

But then reality set in.

He wasn't that type of guy.

He wasn't exactly old, however it was almost midnight, he was tired from a long day in the office, which was actually an anomaly for him and before she had even stepped close to him, he could smell the alcohol roaring off her form like radiation from a nuclear plant.

Unseen but deadly.

It didn't even take her long to convince her that he didn't want to, but he saw the disappointment on her face before she could skilfully hide it like he knew she normally did.

And that was where the slight rub came in.

She was so young and virile and he was…not.

He liked a quiet night in more than a loud night out, and while Jenny could enjoy the night in, she preferred running about the town roaring drunk, without a care in the world.

He sighed again, his hand reaching up to his face to rub a sore eye.

Kakashi was afraid that this would happen.

Afraid that it would be the exact same result as when he was with Sakura.

There was too much of an age gap and he should have known that Jenny was more after sex than the emotional side; it didn't seem like she gave her heart easily away. Frankly, he didn't think she held an emotional tie to him other than a friend who had saved her multiple times and he deduced that she was simply thankful and had no other way of telling him.

That alone wasn't enough to keep a relationship (or whatever they were doing) going.

He sighed, glaring at the ceiling, feeling the slight breeze from the window skating over his mouth.

Something was going to have to be done about this.

And soon.

…o0o…

Now officially the shortest chapter, considering the actual content is below 1,500 words, but this was just a filler anyway. The real drama is just about to begin.

I know I keep doing the countdown thing but since I actually cut one of my chapters I thought that I would just correct them now before you guys lost faith in my maths skills.

So six chapters to go.


	22. Disappear

Disappear – Van Susans

**Kakashi was afraid that this would be the exact same result as when he was with Sakura. **

**There was too much of an age gap and he should have known that Jenny was more after sex than the emotional side; it didn't seem like she gave her heart easily away. **

**Frankly, he didn't think she held an emotional tie to him other than a friend who had saved her multiple times and he deduced that she was simply thankful and had no other way of telling him.**

**That alone wasn't enough to keep a relationship, or whatever they were doing, going. **

**He sighed, glaring at the ceiling, feeling the slight breeze from the window skating over his mouth. **

**Something was going to have to be done about this.**

**And soon.**

…o0o…

Kakashi didn't know why he was there.

Well, that in itself was a lie. He was there to deal with the _issue_.

But here he was, outside hers and Ino's apartment, hesitating pitifully on whether he should knock or not, whether to delay it yet another day…no, he needed to do this and he already made sure that it was the prime time too.

He had watched the door until Ino and Shikamaru had left and so standing there, stupidly might he add, was just not the logical move.

Inside his chest he could already feel his heart clenching painfully.

The feeling was dread and he knew why.

It was the feeling of when he became too invested in the other person.

It happened with his father, it happened with Obito and Rin and it happened with Sakura.

He snorted.

And look how well all those turned out.

So he was there to break it off with Jenny.

Inside, it felt like there was a piece of him that was cooling. Most likely his feet.

Kakashi's hand raised again, his mouth tightening under his mask, trying to resolve himself.

Then a flash of Jenny came across his vision and how her eyes would probably well before releasing the tears that were inevitable to come. Her mouth would wobble and her teeth would make her lower lip rosy in the harshness of the overbite in her desperation not to let on that she was crying.

Her chest would shake with the sobs and her hand would come up to cover the lower half of her face, trying to hide her feelings despite everyone involved could see that she wasn't fooling anyone.

He sighed, rubbing the tight bridge of his nose with a thumb and forefinger.

How was he going to approach this?

It's not me, it's you?

Wait, wasn't it the other way round? Or maybe he could say that he had suddenly been diagnosed with a disease and only had three days left to live? Yeah, that could work and then she would understand that he would try and defeat all the baddies he could within those days and-

He was liking that idea more than he logically should.

It was probably best if he ended his thoughts right there instead of trying to drag this out.

_Again_.

Kakashi scrubbed at the back of his neck tiredly, glancing up at the worn and cracked outdoor light that was a glorified lightbulb dangling from the ceiling, perusing his options.

Back before Sakura, he was never one really to stick around to say goodnight to the passing women who were in and out of his bed. That could even be slightly claimed with Sakura. It was like every time she wanted the snuggle afterwards, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

However, with Jenny, he felt himself falling uncontrollably.

And that was two things that he hated: lack of control and falling. Both led to unpleasant outcomes.

Like an out of control cart could result in hitting a tree. Falling, e.g. off a cliff.

Very painful and undesirable.

His eye tightened again, his fist raising before he slumped against the opposite wall, the fight that he just gained, lost.

Kakashi puffed a gust of air out through his lungs, trying to expel all of his frustrations but not achieving much.

He really needed to man up and finish it before he wouldn't be able to leave her whole.

And unfortunately that wasn't an option for him.

Straightening and knocking on the door, he heard muffled curses with his sensitive hearing on the other side of the panel coupled with the uneven footsteps which, from the sound of the crass voice, meant that the owner of said voice had tripped and possibly landed harshly on her little knees.

However, all his willpower deflated out of him, letting himself acknowledge he was already past the point of no return when the door slid open.

Because there he stood, right outside her door while Jenny herself, was in nothing but a towel.

She obviously had just gotten out of the shower as hair dripped down on her chest, a dark hue signalling that it was wet, as well being in a side braid while the remaining droplets hung suspended on the skin of her shoulders and collarbone.

Kakashi's attentive eye caught on one droplet that skated down her pale skin till it was caught in the towel that was wrapped round and round her slender body, giving only a slight hint at the cleavage as her arms held it solidly to her frame as she continued to braid her hair.

He was done for.

While he had come to his realisation, Jenny had been talking and only just moved away from the door and was walking through the living room before turning to glance over her shoulder to see him still standing there immobile.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked quizzically, her fingers just finished her braid so it came to hold the front of her towel defensively.

The towel barely left enough for imagination.

It looked, from a glance, that she had run out of the normal sized towels and chose the hand towels as substitute from the way the white fuzzy material hiked almost up to her crotch when she walked. Maybe also from the way it curved and clutched at her rounded bottom.

Kakashi gulped, feeling a heat flush through his system, leading to a small droplet of sweat run down his clammy back.

The sheer amount of skin, of her long legs was destroying any function that was not required, such as being able to form words.

But it also alighted the primal part of him. Feral and ferocious, it was a predator that had been presented with its prey.

And like a predator with its meat, he was damn well not going to let go of her now.

Or maybe ever.

Striding across the floor, barely spending the time to kick the door shut behind him, he caught her in his arms, determined to make sure that Jenny felt the same as him.

Like she wouldn't be able to survive should he leave.

That was the last sane thought that crossed his mind as his lips claimed hers demandingly.

The feel of her tongue just wiping any rational thought from his mind.

And just like that, the primal part of him reared its ugly head and roared through his veins along with the red blood cells and adrenaline.

He could only hope that this wouldn't hurt.

…o0o…

I didn't know how to react.

When he stood in my doorway ominously, I thought of the worst and was determined to have him inside where I could convince him that he did _not_ want to break up with me.

But I didn't know that wasn't what he came for, as he swept me up into his storm.

I was helpless to do anything other than wrap my arms around his neck as my toes peaked on the tops of their tips, trying to hold some ground.

Kakashi growled as he hiked me up his body with rough, firm hands on my bare thighs.

I yelped, surprised, before I wrapped them around his waist with a supportive moan, letting him direct us to my room, my blood flushing hotter than napalm beneath my skin.

Puffing, I felt my back land on my pillows hard before there Kakashi stood, maskless, shirtless and crazed.

Propping myself on my elbows, the question on if he was okay on the tip of my tongue before he was swallowed it whole as his tongue did wicked things inside my mouth, making me crave it.

Crave _him_.

I gasped, letting my towel flop to the sides as my naked body held open to him receptively as his hands propped themselves either side of me, determined to let me have room as my stiff fingers fumbled with the button and the zip towards his trousers.

His teeth nibbled into my shoulder, languorously licking the blade before catching on my collar bone, making my body crash into his eagerly, my needy pants and his hazy breaths the only sounds in the quiet room.

His touch was making my eyes trip out like crazy, make my skin tighten across my skeleton painfully but still my nails scrabbled at his skin, trying to draw him ever closer.

My fingers continued to fumble and ruin the atmosphere by their clumsy movements to try and release him.

Giving a dark laugh, he reared up, his knees straddling my hips as his hands dived towards his trousers and their opening, a cocky smirk gracing his mouth that looked swollen, even in the dusk light.

Propping myself on my elbows, I tried to steady my breathing as I watched him methodically twist the button out.

A jerk as the zipper was yanked down.

Finally when his manhood was released, Kakashi came down on me hard, barely letting my body acclimate to the feeling of all our bare skin pressed as one.

My lungs were constricted as I felt the familiar darkness try and swallow my down, but I fought it back as I let my mouth touch any part of his bare skin headily.

The colours in my vision were whirling like a spinning top and I didn't know how to stop it. Soon I felt like my stomach was roiling with it.

I tried to ground myself by wrenching my mouth away, determined to get air into my abused lungs however Kakashi took advantage as his teeth bit ferociously into the tender skin.

Humming, I moved my mouth down his neck, but he wasn't having any of that as he hauled me back to crush our lips together.

Our breaths, our tongues, our bodies, it was hard to tell where he began and I did as he grinded into me, his hard length not even pressed against my wet opening yet.

The kaleidoscope of colours racing through my vision had me dizzy but I knew his touch made everything better, made everything worthwhile.

The pure scent of spearmint and tea tree now had me moaning as my head clicked back, trying to et away yet still ever closer.

I combed my fingers through his hair, a futile and failed attempt of trying to soothe the animal that didn't seem satisfied until my mouth was swollen from his harsh kisses and bites.

He yanked his mouth away only to skate down my throat and chest to enclose my nipple in a scorching mouth, sending my body arching in delicious and welcome pleasure.

He grunted as his hand that was holding him over my body weakened to his forearm as his body settled further over me, the hand at my hip leaving marks as it demanded our hips closer as our hurried breaths mixed before our mouths dived for the plunge.

I whimpered and this seemed to send him further into his frenzy as finally he poked around my hot and needy entrance.

I could tell this wasn't going to last long as finally after what felt like years of waiting, his thickness came into me.

I gasped, my fingers turning into claws as they scratched up his shoulders as we began to move.

We hummed together as he finally sat hilted in me and there was a brief pause as we both looked at each other panting.

There were tiny explosions in my body that had my very thighs shaking as my lower half just begged him to _move_.

His eye seemed to swallow me into the depths before it was resolutely shut as he pulled back only to slam back home again.

I cried out, my neck curling to the ceiling as I threw my head back in exaltation.

So big was he that every time he moved, I felt the jolt of pleasure radiate out around my clit as he knocked into it as he powered himself back into me.

The whimpers at the base of my throat grew, especially when he buried his face in my neck giving these encouraging little growls that had me (if at all possible) growing even wetter and the sound of the lewd slickness of the two of us had my eyes rolling into the back of my skull.

I gasped again as my vision became hazy and the electricity that was once pumping from him into me now became uncomfortable as my inner walls tightened around him, demonstrating my impending orgasm.

"Ah!" I cried out as the colours flashing across my vision reached epic proportions, so much so that I couldn't see his face.

His hips jarred quicker now, harder, almost thrusting me up into the wall with the power.

But it was no use, I knew from the sound of the beeping that was flooding through my ears that I wouldn't be there for much longer.

His growls increased and even inside of me, I could feel him throb in his itching need to release.

Finally when I was on the verge, I felt my limbs starting to disappear and I panicked, forcing all of my will on being solid for a little while longer.

_No, just a little more._

The silhouette of Kakashi's head was thrown back as I heard his roar of passion and I could feel my heart beginning to race as I felt myself coiling tighter and tighter, just about to go over the edge.

But there was a part of me that knew it was too late as darkness and the beeping overwhelmed me and I futilely tried to cling to his hard, but slowly fading body

_NO! I want to see his face once more, I want to open my eyes and see-_

_My limbs were fighting desperately against the strains that held my arms but for once I wasn't trying to fight for liberation. _

_I was demanding the cuffs be put back in place so I could go back to him. _

_Back to Kakashi. _

_My lungs were compressing and so I couldn't help but take a _gasp-

Rain.

I could hear rain and it was falling hard.

My throat worked to swallow around the wood chips that seemed caught in my gullet while my eyes darted around crazily, trying to gain my bearings.

While my breaths were coming out like I had run a marathon, when I craned my neck over to look through the grimy window, there I saw the rain that I had heard so much of.

It was howling and pattering with a viciousness against the weak, mouldy window panes.

And without a doubt in me, I knew that I wasn't in Konoha.

I could feel its dreary mood, I felt like it was raining down on me personally as the realisation crowded down on all my thoughts, crushing, crumpling me like a used can in the rubbish truck.

I ignored the bustle of movement of the doctors surrounding me, fitting an oxygen mask over my face, probably to replace the permanent one that sat on wheelies beside me. I ignored the slight pain as they removed the needles from my veins.

Letting my body try to support itself in the chaos that surrounded me. Letting me try to sort myself out in the free fall, knowing that there were craggy rocks at the bottom.

And that was one thing I hated more than anything: heights and falling.

There was a lack of…control that I hated, that I couldn't control the elements that would surely batter me with all its got before letting me hit the ground unmercifully.

I could smell the hospital but it wasn't like the one in Konoha where there was musky smell that covered the sterile scent.

Here it was just plain hand sanitiser that doused the surfaces.

But it filled me with guilty happiness because I finally knew that I was truly home.

However, under all the smiles that I gave the curious and exhalant doctors, was guilt and regret.

My heart was still racing from Kakashi's touch, but now that I was suddenly in this room, I knew that anything that I had with him, anything that I thought was _real_, now was just a wisp of a dream.

But that guilt continued to eat at me because home was where the heart was.

And I also knew that I had left my heart somewhere with the grey haired pervert with a penchant for reading smutty novels with an orange cover.

Who also just happened to not be real.

Great job Jenny. Great fucking job.

…o0o…

Sorry this took so long, but next week I'm going skiing so I wanted to at least get this out before I left :3


	23. Once Upon A Dream

Once Upon A Dream – Sleeping Beauty

**I ignored the bustle of movement of the doctors surrounding me, fitting an oxygen mask over my face, probably to replace the permanent one that sat on wheelies beside me. I ignored the slight pain as they removed the needles from my veins.**

**I could smell the hospital but it wasn't like the one in Konoha and that filled me with both dread and happiness. **

**Dread because I knew where I was. **

**But it filled me with guilty happiness because I finally knew that I was truly home.**

**And I knew why it was guilty. Because wasn't home where the heart is?**

**And I also knew that I had left my heart somewhere with the grey haired pervert with a penchant for reading smutty novels with an orange cover.**

…o0o…

Takashi woke with a gasp, his heart pounding, his legs sticky.

Closing his eyes, he tried to revel in the moment while his blood continued to rush soundly through his veins.

That was probably one of the most intense wet dreams that he ever had and it was probably with the subconscious of the girl in a coma. Takashi groaned, flopping a forearm to cover his face.

That was morally wrong on so many levels.

Sighing, he looked over to the other unused pillow apathetically.

It was strange not seeing another human there, but then again him and Saskia broke up three months ago, oddly enough a dream followed where Kakashi broke up with Sakura. He shook his head.

What a weird reality.

Swinging his legs out of the bed, he grimaced at the wetness surrounding his crotch and his bed. He would have to change the sheets. _Again_.

Takashi shook his head mournfully.

Ever since him and Jenny in his dreams had gotten relatively 'intimate' his bedsheets were almost constantly in the wash. There was no escape.

While he would awaken refreshed he also constantly felt tired and (dare he say it?) lonely.

After stripping his bed and putting it in the dirty pile by his laundry, he saw he had five minutes before his alarm went off to go to the gym and didn't see any point in replacing the sheets to go back to sleep again.

He had plenty of time after he trained the boxers.

Instead, he climbed into the shower, again frowning as he pulled the wet material away from his lower half with a grimace, climbing into his small plastic cubicle.

Staring at the mouldy tiles apathetically, Takashi shook his head under the weak dribble of water that was barely managing out of the shower head.

Considering the amount of money he earned, he could probably afford a new one, however he was a saver, not a spender. Deciding not to reminisce over it too much, he grabbed the tea tree body wash and thoroughly cleaned himself, getting ready for work.

After hopping out, he slid on some baggy shorts and a tight fitting muscle shirt that he coupled with his typical tight fitting mask that was more commonly worn in places like the Alps rather than an everyday accessory, shaking his unruly mane.

Looking in the mirror, with the tight mask hanging around his neck, Takashi thought of the way in which he could go without it, maybe let people see his face like he showed Jenny in his dream.

He could just imagine the surprise on everyone's face but then he would see the curiosity that followed when they caught a glimpse at the shrapnel scars.

He shook his head. That was more trouble than it was worth.

With that thought, he left his mask hanging around his neck as he continued to his small kitchen where a tiny tv was situated in the corner, in direct line of the counter seats.

Pouring his bowl of muesli he turned on the television idly, maybe wondering for the weather to see if it would be raining.

An evil thought came.

If it _was_ raining, he could force his pupils to go for a ten mile run.

Oh the joys of being a trainer.

So lost in his thoughts that he barely was paying attention to the news story and only glanced up once from his cereal to see if the weather was on when he dropped his spoon, probably splashing himself in milk.

"How do I feel? Ironically, all I do is feel tired, and waking up this early isn't helping," the dark haired girl said to the unseen interviewer, a rueful grin on her face.

Takashi hurriedly grabbed the remote, pushing the volume up until he thought it would vibrate through his ear drums.

"And what are your views on the London Underground bombings? Do you think the government should be doing more to combat the terrorist attacks?" The interviewer asked, the mic placed under the chin where the girl lay on the pillows. Jenny.

She frowned as she looked at the interviewer in almost disbelief.

"They were horrific I guess and glad that not too many people were killed unlike most disasters," the girl began, her eyebrows were creased in concentration for what she wanted to say. "And I think I speak for everyone when they say every coma is bad regardless of how you were put in it, if that makes sense? Like I'm angry, don't get me wrong, but I think I would be still this mad if it was me falling down the stairs that put me in the coma.

As for what the government should do? I haven't the foggiest. I just happened to be in the wrong place wrong time…"

The girl's eyes drifted off, thinking, hoping she was somewhere else.

Takashi had given up any pretence of eating his cereal, his spoon lying abandoned, buried in a bowl of milk and muesli. It was her.

Jenny.

His Jenny.

The one that he just had a wet dream about, the one that had until this morning been trapped in a coma.

The metaphorical rug that had been pulled out from under him?

Yeah, that was coupled with the hard surface of the ice that it covered, instantly forced him to fall. And hard.

"And how do you feel about the amount of time that has passed? Anything you regret?" the interviewer continued regardless of the grey circles beneath the poor girl's eyes.

"Well, I missed all the excitement of the Scottish referendum I guess," the girl gave a small chuckle, before turning serious her almost brown eyes seeming tired, droopy, sad. "But I suppose, I miss my mum defeating the cancer, my brother getting his degree but maybe I suppose miss the change from summer to winter. You never realise it until you haven't seen it." The girl trailed off her eyes wistful and if Takashi narrowed his eye enough, he could have sworn her mouth tightened in sorrow.

She was brought back by a definite throat clearing.

"And what I regret…" she hesitated, her mouth opening like she wanted to say something but her brow evened out as she resolutely manoeuvred herself into a more comfy position on the mound of pillows behind her. "What I regret is that I was a burden on my family, that I could have possibly meant the failure of my brother, my mother, but I suppose I regret never getting my maths degree. Three years and nothing to show for it," this is when the girl's mouth turned down. Bitter.

"Thank you," the camera turned back to the middle aged woman but Takashi wanted desperately for it to turn back to Jenny, another glimpse, another sign that it could be her. "That was Jennifer Webbs, a survivor of the London Bombings, here at St. John's. Back to you in the studio,"

Then they turned to the meaningful turnip competition in a nearby county which Martin quickly tuned out of.

What did this mean?

…o0o…

I couldn't stop myself from crying when mum and dad came into the room, both exclaiming that I was there. It truly broke my heart to find that I had been so selfish to stay away as long as I had.

It was a complete Narnia experience where in my coma I believed I had been away for three months, possibly four at the most but back in reality I had been gone for almost over half a year.

I was truly despicable.

The doctors had finally let me go home, but one new development that I didn't expect:

I couldn't walk.

As in, I was in a coma for so long that my brain had lost the ability to let me stand upright and walk around, although the doctors reassured me that I would one day be able to walk around like I used to with a lot of physical therapy.

I was so very tired that I barely could keep myself awake on the car journey home but I never felt more loved than I did in the back seat of the car. My mum rarely let go of me as she held my head to her shoulder and every now and then I could feel a drop of water land in my hair where she had been quietly crying so as not to disturb me. Overwhelm me.

The silly woman.

My little brother Neil had no such qualms as he hugged my other side, his hand linking around my waist.

Admittedly he was sleeping, however from the bags under his eyes, I knew it would be his first time in ages since he slept.

Dad was just stoic in the front but I could see the way his eyes darted to the mirror constantly and met mine, as if he thought this was all such a cruel dream and he was about to wake up and find I was still on that hospital bed.

I sighed, snuggling further into my mother's embrace, determined to maximise my bonding time by sleeping then rather than later.

But as much as I tried, I could barely get further than a light doze however, I knew where I was as soon as I felt the rusty four by four crumble over the gravel.

We were back at the farm.

Straightening up, I spared a small smile to the brother that was holding tighter than a barnacle to rocks and a kiss on the shoulder of the mother who still kept me trapped in her tight embrace.

I saw out of the corner of my eye my dad turning in his seat after he switched off the ignition.

Looking, I saw the tears that had been welling in his eyes finally spill over as he breathed in a shaky breath, trying to draw out one of his normal smiles. The usual, the ones that light up an entire room, where it would spread to his eyes and be more infectious than any virus.

Unfortunately, just one look at him, I could see it was somewhat dimmed.

"Welcome home pigeon," he said quietly, his hand reaching out for mine.

Grasping on to it tightly, I swore then and there I wasn't going to make him go through that again as my tears which I thought had waned, spilled over again.

"I love you," I whispered, letting his hand cup my cheek, just revelling in the feeling of his callouses scratching against my skin lovingly.

"As I you," he replied, his chapped lips touching my forehead, giving me the warmth of the family that I thought I wouldn't see.

I flinched but tried not to think how close it was to me being the one to betray them as I finally let myself realise I was home, and I was safe.

…o0o…

"Your doctors said no solids so I made your favourite, cream of carrot soup!" Mum exclaimed as she proudly presented me with the steaming bowl on my lap as I sat in the lounge.

Neil was sat next to me, a steaming bread roll falling apart in his hands only to be dunked into what I already knew to be a glorious soup. The wave of envy that overwhelmed me had me staring down into my bowl again, picking up my spoon.

"Thank you!" I grinned half-heartedly, my mouth already open to receive my morsel of food before I glanced up at the television and saw what was on.

Dropping the spoon rapidly, I felt the short, hot starbursts as the liquid food burned me in my rush to turn the tv up when I saw _Tangled_ was being played.

My mouth finally stretching into a proper smile, I revelled in the moment where the title sequence was only darting past and the opening song was beginning.

Beside me all I heard was the snorts from my family members as the dug into the food.

"Figures you forget how to walk, but not your Disney," Neil snorted again before his face froze in horror, his mouth open.

I had managed to contain my flinch better than expected. Being reminded that I wouldn't be able to walk for some time had the fear attached to it that I might _never_ walk again, but looking back at the screen, I couldn't contain the wave of contentment that flooded over me.

I half listened to my mother chastising my brother, content but my eyes were on the long blonde hair that was racing across the screen and having a wake up song.

What would I do to have an animal side kick? What animal even?

There was a yelp and there was my brother with a disappointing bowl of soup poured into the carpet, mother trying not to screech but failing miserably. My father, on the other end of the sofa, studiously avoided his wife's eyes, his spoon dunking methodically into his bowl of soup.

But there was Jessie, among all the chaos, still trying to get at the food, her black, wet snout wrinkling at the taste of vegetable but then remembered she was a dog and would eat anything.

Chuckling that turned to a full blown guffaw, soon my eyes teared up, my insides hurt.

My head felt the beginning of a head ache but still I glanced towards the screen where I saw the dashing Flynn Rider fighting with a horse.

Then the peals of laughter erupted from me again. My family were all baffled but still, anyone could see the small sentimental smiles stretching on their faces.

This was when it hit me:

Somehow, the recovery wouldn't be actually as bad as I thought.

…o0o…

It was getting close to midnight, but still I continued staring at the screen.

We were all sitting in one corner of the living room.

I was snuggled in the middle of the sofa which would be my bed until further notice, between my mother on my right, my brother on my left and my father who was at my feet along with Jessie, the collie.

There on the screen, was Walt Disney's _Sleeping Beauty_.

Already, after the first three films, after obvious months of not sleeping, mum, dad and Neil were all asleep.

Neil's head resting on my shoulder, my own resting on my mum's chest and dad's cheek was smushed against my foot which I could spare only a small smile for before I was sucked back into the film.

I had only just begun to watch it before I started crying.

I didn't mean to, honest.

It was just one moment of blissful happiness before the main song came on, something about meeting someone in 'once upon a dream' and I broke.

As in, my heart which I thought repaired after seeing my family whole once more, smashed under the sledge hammer that was the reality of never seeing Kakashi again.

The salt water flowed down my face as I watched the princess being swept away by the stranger, letting him serenade her, whisk her away in their own little fantasy.

Their own, private world.

Like me and Kakashi.

But that was ruined, like everything that happens inevitably with a boy.

My chest was throbbing as my shoulders shook with the weeping that my body was having to endure, but just as the cries I was muffling behind a hand, I felt my mother's hold around my shoulder, tighten, bringing me further into her spongy chest her hand moving soothingly over me.

Finally, letting myself have the moment, I cried like I had never before, like a close relative had died, _something_.

I didn't even remember crying this much when we found mum had cancer, but I wasn't going to say that.

Because how selfish would that make me?

Me, the person in the coma who made my family _grieve_ and _suffer_ for six long months, crying over a lost, imaginary boy, yet didn't cry at my own mother's death sentence?

I didn't think I could ever sink so low and that just made me cry all the harder because I knew the guilt was eating me up inside, and I had no excuse.

So overwhelmed by my emotions, I didn't hear the hushed breaths shushing me, trying to calm me down.

Where I thought I had been quiet, I had been ever so loud. Even Jessie was whining, licking at the bare skin of my ankle desperately, much to my watery hiccups.

"Baby, it's okay, it's okay, we're here," my mother's soothing, lilting voice whispered in the wee hours of the morning.

I felt a head of hair worm its way under my arm and I glanced and saw Neil's cheeky grin that was only shadowed by his own tears and felt a shadow cut across the pixilated light given off by the television in the dark and I smelt my father's familiar soap before I truly felt the weight of his embrace.

I let myself sink into the feeling because I knew that I didn't deserve them, but I was a selfish woman.

I _am_ a selfish woman.

So I wasn't going to give them up for the world as I let all the months of torture that I put them through, come through my own mouth as I let out agonised moans, feeling their embrace tighten all the more.

"Oh pigeon," my dad whispered into my ear, "we're sorry."

And just like that, the waterworks which I hadn't realised was barely a stream, now coming out in floods which would rival that of Noah's ark.

Why were they sorry?

Why were they having to deal with the problems that they didn't even know about?

…Why did I deserve them?

So caught up in my self-loathing, I hadn't realised I was talking aloud until I felt my mother's furious bear hold tighten to the point of narrowing my breaths as she whispered harshly in my ear.

"Jennifer Webbs, I hope you aren't blaming yourself for this, because that would be foolish," her voice wobbled and I could tell she was trying to hold back her own tears. "We love you and always will, and that, is a fact, now stop this nonsense right now."

"Yeah we'll always love you Jenjen," Neil teased, reverting back to old habits when he was a toddler and unable to pronounce my name.

Just hearing it made me cry all the harder, trying to stop but when I felt myself hauled up into the barrel chest of my father, I let the sponge of the fifty years he had lived, with too much cheese and burgers in his belly suck me in.

"We're sorry, because we are obviously overwhelming you," he said in my ear, but I didn't feel his arms loosen once. "We're sorry for not being strong enough to not rejoice in your return. Just give us tonight and I'm sure this will all blow over."

I choked as the tears blocked up all my airways, my face burying itself in his meaty neck.

This wasn't fair.

_They_ were apologising for me not wanting to wake up?

God, what was _wrong_ with them?

I let myself remain in their warmth, letting myself sob into suffocation and ultimately sleep.

…o0o…


	24. An Unhealthy Addiction Rehab

An Unhealthy Addiction Rehab

**Just hearing it made me cry all the harder, trying to stop but when I felt myself hauled up into the barrel chest of my father, I let the sponge of the fifty years he had lived, with too much cheese and burgers in his belly suck me in. **

"**We're sorry, because you obviously were enjoying your world and we took you from it suddenly and are overwhelming you," he said in my ear, but I didn't feel his arms loosen once. "we're sorry for not being strong."**

**I choked as the tears blocked up all my airways, my face burying itself in his meaty neck.**

**This wasn't fair. **

_**They**_** were apologising for me not wanting to wake up?**

**God, what was **_**wrong**_** with them?**

**I let myself remain in their warmth, letting myself sob into suffocation and ultimately sleep.**

…o0o…

My wrist snapped eagerly as my whisk beat the bowl harshly with little rats as the mixture turned a creamy colour naturally.

Neil sighed again, his head flopping on the table bored.

I whacked the back of it good naturedly before pivoting my wheelchair to take me back to the oven where I saw my cake tin waiting eagerly for the centre.

"Why are you baking so many cakes?" Neil groaned, his head slumping back down into his arms, "there are only so many occasions that you claimed to remember."

The grumbling had begun from about the time I woke up which was six and it was now mid-afternoon and the amount of confectionary on the sides just seemed to build and build until there was barely any left.

"Maybe because I actually like baking?" I asked in 'you're being stupid, stop talking' kind of way.

The actual truth was that I was so used to baking this number of cakes for Ino in my dream that it seemed to carry over.

It had been this way for months now.

I knew my parents were worried but continued to just buy the butter and milk the cows and just let me continue to bake to my heart's content.

My brother on the other hand, I thought wryly as I slammed the oven door shut, just to see the blue light flashing beside Neil's phone, signalling an incoming call.

He raised his brown haired head, glanced at the screen before he rested his head back down with a sigh.

"Neil?" I asked, wheeling myself closer and watched how it went black before alighting up again, but when I saw the name, an elation that I never knew could overcome my body did.

INCOMING KAKASHI CALLING.

"Who's Kakashi?" I asked as nonchalantly as I could as I prepared to package the cookies I made previously.

My brother snorted, rolling his head and ultimately his face away from mine, to avoid looking at me. I then knew how serious it was where my normally chatty brother was sent to silence.

"Neil?" I warned, my tone conveying every disappointment and punishment I would ever inflict.

His limbs almost knocking several plates with cracks and smashes to the floor, much to my horror.

But obviously for my dog's delight, where the patient Jessie was waiting to gobble them out but my attention was drawn back to Neil when he wriggled with discomfort under my gaze, his blue-green eyes looked up at me guiltily.

"His name's not actually Kakashi, he's my trainer remember?" he looked searchingly up at me and I knew what he was looking for. My memories that some had annoyingly been lost. "You know the one who always covered up the lower half of his face, eye patch?" he paused, scratching his chin where stubble was growing much to our mother's horror. "Well actually, now that he got the eye operation, he has to wear this red contact lens-"

"Don't you mean Takashi?" I asked pointedly, knowing the answer and the thought that I didn't guess who Takashi was in my dream made me feel a little ashamed. "And remember I never met him."

Neil frowned, actually sitting upright and the phone that was glowing with INCOMING KAKASHI CALLING again.

"Yeah, but he resembles Kakashi so much that it's just a joke between us all," he stretched his arms behind his back as he gave a large yawn. "And I'm positive that you've met him. Remember the time when you were at the farmer's-"

"I got food poisoning," I reminded him, rotating in my chair to keep an eye on the cake's progress.

"What about that time-"

"Reading (A/N; a music festival pronounced REDDING)? I went to see Blink rather Eminem remember?" I arched a brow which showed my disbelief at my brother's obtuseness.

The phone blackened again before alighting with a new vigour, like that was what was going to get Neil to pick it up.

If I was right as I suspected I was, if I picked up the phone, I would hear…

Needing no other reason, I darted across the table, pushing myself out of my wheelchair, grabbed the phone and clicked on the little green button, collapsing to the floor. My elbow clicked the floor uncomfortably but I continued to try and concentrate on the phone in my hand.

"Nathaniel?" a deep and achingly familiar voice said down the line. I near about choked but managed to hold on considering Neil was descending on my form, trying to reach for the phone.

"No, this happens to be Neil's conscience," Neil started to scrabble with me, despite the fact that I was lying prone on the floor.

My physical therapy hadn't gotten to the stage where I was able to get to my feet by myself so there I was propped up on an elbow while the other fought tooth and nail against my overpowering body.

"Oh?" his voice sounded so amused that I could just see his face in the way that he arched an eyebrow. "Well, tell me Neil's conscience, could you tell him to actually respond to my calls, get his arse in gear and come to training?"

"Dammit Neil!" I cursed loudly, as he hit me particularly hard in the ribs, batting him away with one hand. "Oh yeah? He's been avoiding training? Avoiding your calls? Are you guys going through a little rough patch?"

"Yeah," he sighed dramatically, "it's killing me not to know what's going on, would you let him know that? I miss him too."

"I've got something even better," I promised as I screeched as Neil finally got the upper hand and I wrenched my attention from Takashi to hiss at my dumbass brother, "have you no shame for hitting a cripple?"

"You're mentally deficient, I'll give you that!" he hissed back, still wrangling with me, forcing his fingers to pry my death grip off them.

"So Takashi," I continued into the phone as if I hadn't been arguing with my brother loudly. "We are freeeeee," I drawled hastily as Neil continued to grapple with me

I rolled on the floor under the table where Jessie began to bark in excitement at the tussle. I heard our mother's footsteps on the stair and knew that we didn't have enough time left.

"We are free right now if you want to come and train my brother? I bet he has some kind of match coming up right?"

I listened for a moment, my face probably becoming more and more murderous before I hung up, relinquishing my hold on the phone where I watched amused, as Neil spent the next five minutes trying to call him back.

"Dammit Takashi!" he raised his arm as if to throw it away but finally mum had enough of the squabbling and had come to turn it down.

"Nathaniel Webbs!" she barked and immediately he cowed down, his shoulder hunching reflexively.

Her mouth opened to squawk some more but then she was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.

Struggling, mum helped me with getting into my chair again while I heard Neil's heated voice.

Glancing up, I felt my breath catch in my throat.

Because right before my eyes was the man I had thought I had made up inside my mind.

_Kakashi_.

There was his gravity defying hair, still in that shade of pewter and storm clouds, his eye covered by a surgical black eye patch. His lower face still had that infuriating mask but my heart continued to do hopscotch in my chest, my lungs were even spasming still.

God, was he always so _tall?_

"Yo," he waved, one eye crinkling while the other was hidden under a white surgical eye patch.

"H-hi," I managed to garble out but I knew that I didn't exactly sound totally natural as both mum and Neil stared at me weirdly while I continued to gaze happily at Takashi.

He walked over to me and I, without realising it, smoothed my hands over my shirt and hair before I presented my hand in greeting.

"So would you be Neil's conscience?" his amused, deep voice asked me and inside my chest, a little gymnast was doing a routine.

"That I am," I responded, breathless. "You can call me Jenny though."

Internally, I flinched. God, could I be any more obvious that I loved him?

I flushed at my thoughts while I watched Takashi's eye crinkle more.

"Pleased, to make your acquaintance, I'm Neil's trainer," his smile to me just seemed to get wider and wider.

I hoped it wasn't at me and how I was acting.

"Oh," I replied intelligently. "I'm Jenny."

From over his shoulder I could see Neil's confused face while my mother's was a lot smugger and knowing, also trying to hold in her laughs.

"Yeah, you said already," he drawled out amused.

Blushing even more, I quickly rolled myself away, taking my hand that had been still in his away reluctantly.

"Sorry, I shouldn't be keeping you from your, uh…ah… training," I stumbled over my words as my hands continued to flutter lamely in my lap.

"Speaking of training," Neil cut in rudely. I shot him a glare but the dimwit continued on, "how did you get here so fast?"

I jumped in surprise before I looked at Kakashi curiously.

Then I saw a classic move where a hand was brought up to scrub the grey hair behind his head bashfully.

My inner girl screamed with delight.

"I was waiting outside your door," he said blandly, his shoulders still in that continual slouch. "I thought if you wouldn't answer your phone, I could at least pressure you by coming to your house. You have a boxing bag, don't you?"

Just when I was about to see Neil protest I jumped in quickly.

"Yes, out in the back garden if you guys want to go start," I said dreamily before I started, hurriedly turning to the oven to hide my embarrassment. "I need my kitchen back."

"Your kitchen?" my asked amused as she began clearing up some more space for me. "I believe you ungrateful little turnip, that it is my one that you are holding hostage."

I flushed even further but luckily I saw that Takashi and Neil were heading out of the door, but just as the door was about to close, as cliché as it sounds, for a moment, I swore, our eyes met.

"See you later firefly," Takashi called through before the door leading to the garden shut finally.

I froze.

Thoughts running a mile a minute in my head.

He called me 'firefly'. That was what Kakashi did in my coma.

I shook my head heatedly. No, this was just silly. It wouldn't be like people could share dreams or anything…Right?

I snorted. Right. It had just been some slip of the tongue, some kind of random pet name or nickname or _something_.

It couldn't have been him. It was stupid to get my hopes up after all these months of recovery.

But still there was a flutter and my teeth were biting into my lower lip happily.

Sighing, I dazedly stirred some of the batter in a bowl.

There was going to be a whole lot of problems but I couldn't bring myself to care.

…o0o…

From my vigil in the kitchen, I could hear the constant thuds and Takashi's supporting words along with Neil's continuous complaints. I gave a small laugh but tried to peek out of the window subtly but from my low position in the wheelchair, it was made all the more harder.

It also didn't help that I was getting cheeky smirks from my own mother which made my mortification all the more worse. I placed the back of my cool hand on my burning cheeks. The meddlesome woman.

Glancing at the clock I saw that they had been working for two hours straight, so maybe I could get away with my plan to talk with Takashi again.

Inhaling a deep breath, I took my tray and placed it on my lap as I wheeled to the door where, when I opened it, all I could see was a flurry of limbs.

Neil's back was facing me but Takashi's profile was visible to me, meaning that I unconsciously stopped and was watching in awe at their synchronised movements.

From what I could tell, Takashi seemed to be landing most of the hits while delivering some witty punchline as he did it.

"That was a free one, am I right?" he coupled his tag question with a punch that meant that Neil had no time to respond.

Using one hand, I tried to hold in my giggle but failed.

Takashi's eye snapped towards me.

But that moment of distraction cost him as Neil slammed a fist right into his jaw.

I gasped, my eyes widening.

My brother seemed equally surprised as he rushed to the body on the floor.

Grabbing my walking stick, I managed to push myself into a wobbly vertical position before I hobbled over to them.

Sensing my presence, Neill glanced over his shoulder to scold me but I couldn't spare eyes for him as I just stared down at Takashi whose eye looked a tad dazed before they met with mine.

A zap fell through my body and I tried to hold my seizing chest by leaning further on my walking stick.

"Are you okay?" I asked, my brow creasing as I tried to lean further forwards. "Do you need me to get you some ice or something?"

Then his hand creeped up to hook a hand around the tight fabric that was covering his lower face and I held my breath.

As inch by painful inch, I saw the familiar scars that decorated his chin and when his lips were shown, my mind went blank as the intimate scar that bisected the right side of his mouth had me trembling at the knees. And not from the strain of standing as long as I had.

"…enny? JENNY!"

I jerked as I looked at the scolding frown of my brother.

"You shouldn't be standing right now, you know what your doctor says about taking it easy," I squealed as Neil's hands scooped my weak body up in his arms.

My hands linked desperately behind his neck, my eyes clenching shut.

"What it is it with males and their desire to prove their masculinity?" I hissed out through gritted teeth, feeling my body swaying with Neil's easy movements.

"Obviously because you seem to disprove it with your own masculinity," Neil retorted while placing me back into my wheel chair gently.

I tried to scowl but looking at my brother's face, I sighed, picking up my tray again, thankful none of the cake had fallen and held it up for his picky inspection.

Neil tapped his lower lip while squinting down at them.

"And you're sure that you made this with full fat butter?" he looked over the muffin at me.

I rubbed my brow, feeling another sigh coming out until I just muttered out a yes.

Barely the word had escaped my mouth before Neil had shoved the raspberry and coconut muffin whole in his mouth.

Aghast, I pivoted in my chair to apologise but found Takashi's face wholly on mine. His _bare_ face wholly on mine and I could feel every cell in my body alighting just under his stare.

_I couldn't have just imagined it, right? He must have dreamt too. I can't be alone in this._

"Do you want one?" I held up my tray hopefully, "it's my new recipe that I'm hoping will sell."

Giving a beam, I felt my tray become significantly light as he took more than one.

I gasped before my smile came forward even further.

"I also have some lemonade for you guys too," I turned to head back into the kitchen but felt hands stop my chair.

"As much as you treating us has been fun sis," my brother hurriedly intervened shoving me in the house much to my surprise, "Kakashi was just leaving."

I glanced over my shoulder to look at the man in question and I saw his mask was back in place but his eyes hadn't left me.

"Neil!" I protested, trying to hold onto my wheels, trying to halt their spinning rotation.

"Thanks for the muffins," I heard his voice behind me, just before the door closed, I saw his eye crinkle in a familiar way that my heart near enough broke. "Raspberry and coconut is my favourite."

I gaped as I watched him wave to Neil before turning to leave out of the side gate.

_What the hell was that?_

My dream Kakashi loved raspberry and coconut muffins. This one said he did too.

My Kakashi called me firefly. This one did too.

This could not be a coincidence.

I was barely paying attention to myself as my hands, on auto pilot began loading muffins into a Tupperware box, my wheels already spinning beneath me as I rolled to the front door, opening it with curious eyes.

But when the door was wide open, my conscious took back over.

Takashi was there, leaning against his black motorcycle while just staring at the stormy clouds ahead, one brow furrowed.

Hesitating, I flinched when his gaze went back down to the door when he heard it open.

I swallowed before smiling as I continued down the temporary ramp made, my box weighing heavily in my lap.

"Hi," I choked out.

Internally, I was beating myself to a pulp but outwardly, I gave a self-conscious titter which made my cheek flare up in a bright blush.

"Hello," God, even his words made me blush.

How can someone just sound so sexy just by a simple salutation? He must have to have attended a class or something.

"Um, here," I stuck out my box of muffins, averting my gaze. "You said you liked them and if you weren't being polite," I steeled myself into meeting his gaze, my lower lip wavering as I just tried to mentally talk with him like _are you him?_ "I wanted to give them to you."

I finished off lamely, feeling the moment coming and passing when I could have asked him whether he was from my dream. Though to be fair, how would _anyone_ be able to bring that kind of thing up?

There was a minute laugh, tiny really, but I gave a beam as I watched him get onto his bike after storing them away. I still tried to bring up the question but found a lamer one come out instead:

"Will you come back here?" I blurted, my cheeks literally a burning flame. "To train Neil I mean?"

Takashi looked at my thoughtfully before he swung his leg back over his steed, striding over to me, I leaned back in my seat, eyes wide until the hand that was reaching for me, bypassed my face until it was tangled in my hair.

My mouth opened in a gasp and I could see his black eye caught on my pink lips and I could have _sworn_ I saw him lean that little bit down, as if he was tempted to claim them.

_It doesn't feel like it would be the first time_.

"You had a bit of cake in your hair," he whispered with a teasing eye crinkle.

And just like that the mood shattered.

My face already cherry now just looked like the shade of red where all the blood would be running across my face in a slasher film it was so dark.

Covering my mouth, my hands searched, ruffling my hair into a state of disarray.

"What?! Oh my God, I can't believe I talked to you like this!" I averted my face, still trying to search, keeping tabs on his body out of the corner of my eye as I frantically continued to search for more of the sweet traitorous crumbs. "I am so embarrassed."

I would have continued to babble further had I not felt the breath caress my cheek.

Not daring to move, I continued to feel the airwaves smooth across my skin and despite the over tone of raspberry, I could still scent…

"Spearmint," I breathed, finally turning to him.

Our noses bumped together.

My normal muddy brown eyes met his continuous black ones in amazement.

My mouth parted to ask my pressing question but I could see from Takashi's eyes that it was the last thing on his mind as he leaned ever closer, his lids closing over his demanding orbs.

"Kaka…" my own closed too, my chair seat creaking as I leaned closer, "…shi."

"JENNY!" My brother's shriek spoiled to mood immediately.

Takashi jumped up and I sighed with disappointment, already turning my chair to head back into the house as I felt the first splattering of raindrops.

Sneaking a glance up at the stoic Takashi, I curled a finger around my brown hair, trying to tuck it behind my ear.

"You promise to come tomorrow?" I tried not to look too interested but I could see my brother hurtling down the pathway towards us, I knew we didn't exactly have enough time.

"I promise," he drawled and I heard the squeak of his own leather. Most likely crossing his arms. "Besides, I doubt your brother can really be convinced away from you at this point in time."

"What about me?" Neil panted, his eyes narrowing dangerously at Takashi.

I frowned.

What was up with him?

His normally kind, warm eyes were hardened and they were _glaring _at Takashi. Hadn't he been laughing him, literally minutes before?

I shrugged as I turned my chair around to head back into the house, not trying to linger despite every fibre of my essence was begging me to stay, to eavesdrop, maybe even convince Takashi to give me his number.

I shook my head as pushed through the open doorway that my mother held open with a knowing smile.

I rolled my eyes but continued on to the kitchen, my lips curving into a secretive smile. Takashi was coming tomorrow and I would be damned if he didn't know who I was after that almost kiss.

If not, I was going to jog his memory if it was the last thing I did.

…o0o…

Admittedly, I don't think past me really took into consideration the annoying factor of my brother.

It had been a week yet I hadn't been able to find any feasible reason to go talking to Takashi.

Yes, I had made baked goods but my annoying sibling seemed determined to make sure me and Takashi never spoke and took the multiple baked goods already for their snack so I couldn't pretend like I had more.

Neil even had a jug of water out there so I couldn't even try and bring out refreshments.

I huffed as I watched with my face on my fist, Neil getting pummelled by Takashi.

From the set of Takashi's jaw, I could see a little frustration. Against my will, my lips turned up as a jolt of pleasure rushed through me, unreasonably thinking that it was because he wasn't able to talk with me either.

Jolting up, I gave my cheeks quick, sharp succession of slaps, shaking my head as my thoughts all jumbled together. Just because there happened to be a series of coincidences between that of Takashi and Kakashi, it did not mean that he was _definitely _Kakashi.

I rubbed my chest, my mouth tightening as it threatened to crack.

Yes, it would certainly be…disheartening if Takashi turned out not to be Kakashi but…

I looked out longingly at the pair of fighters, watching as Takashi once again got Neil in a difficult position where it seemed my brother couldn't move his arms nor legs to get out of the powerful hold.

God, even the mystery of Takashi was just too alluring to ignore.

"He stayed by your beside you know," my mother's voice whispered close to my ear.

I shrieked.

I jumped out of my seat before my legs remembered they couldn't hold my weight very well as I tumbled back down to the carpet.

My mother's vindictive laughter reached me down to the floor and yanking my face out of all the dust balls, I shot her a glare.

"I don't know why I put up with you all," I grumbled, pushing myself upright, struggling with my shaky legs to support me as I propped myself up desperately with the arms of my wheel chair. "You're all just so horrible."

"That we are turnip, that we are," my mother agreed well naturedly as she settled on her comfy patch work arm chair with her knitting needles. "But I wasn't joking; he did stay beside you."

We were situated in the back living room and this side of the house overlooked one of our fields in addition to a concrete back garden where Neil and Takashi had laid out multiple training mats.

The back living room just happened to have the best view and with the reflective new glass, it was impossible for the fighters outside to tell if I was watching them much to my delight.

I glanced at my mother as I bent to pick up my book that had been lying limping in my lap to replace it as I tried for nonchalance.

"Who, Neil?" I pretended to brush the dust off the cover, my eyes solely focussing on the abused cover while my ears were highly tuned to that of my mother.

She snorted and I knew she was giving me the classic eye roll.

"Come dear, I think we both know who I am speaking about," her middle class accent was coming more pronounced, almost signalling the seriousness of the conversation.

Giving up my pretence, I glanced up sheepishly at my mum.

"He stayed at my bedside? Really?" I attempted to hide the hopefulness in my face and voice although from the way I was leaning forward in my seat, I knew I had failed.

"Really," she didn't elaborate as I saw her smugly continue to click her needles together elongating the red jumper that I didn't have to ask to know it was for me.

I still waited before my impatience overwhelmed me.

"So? Did he, I don't know… do something?" I asked, my hands clasped in my lap.

My mother's eyes glanced up before she looked back down at hooking the wool.

"He may have stayed at your side a couple of times when your brother wasn't there," he looked out of the window as she watched Takashi throw Neil over his shoulder so he landed with what looked like a breath jarring jolt. "But as far as we know, we thought he was just praying for you," she shot a sly squint to me, "but maybe it was other reasons entirely."

I blushed for no reason as I turned my attention back to the pair outside and I saw in a moment of reprieve Takashi glanced at the house, but gazed right into the window where I was sitting.

I almost leant back in surprise before I remembered he couldn't see me. Theoretically.

"That's why Neil is being how he is," mum explained as her needles continued to clack together elongating the jumper, "he is now getting the picture that Takashi is making a move," another sly squint, "and it is apparently not unwanted."

My cheeks felt unreasonably hot as I tried to open my book to read but knew it was no use as I stared back out of the window where I could see Neil and Takashi arguing.

"So is Neil just going to try and block Takashi every time he tries to talk to me?" I asked as I watched my brother try and land a punch on Takashi's face, his mouth curled down in a snarl.

"Basically," my mother sighed, "although it is such a shame that he doesn't realise such a course is futile, you would have thought being raised with my brains he would be smarter."

"I think it is because he does have your brains that he is like this," I muttered.

I barely dodged the ball of yarn that had come hurtling from my mother with a grin before I looked outside and saw Takashi was strolling off with his bag slung over his shoulder.

Not realising what I had done, I was stumbling out of the house with no support of a walking stick or anything. My mum hadn't tried to stop me for which I was grateful as I tried to get to Takashi before he would mount his motorcycle.

Flinging the front door open I called over to his figure where from the tightly controlled movements that he wasn't in a particularly happy mood.

"Takashi!" I called again, my legs weaving this way and that.

His head tilted towards me before he turned.

His eye widened before he dashed over to me, thankfully just in time to catch me as finally my core strength gave way, my knees almost colliding with the tarmac.

My body collided with his lean one and my arms tightened reflexively feeling the shoulders under my palms, scenting tea tree and as his breath caressed my face, spearmint.

"You should be more careful," he chided lightly, leading me to one of the scenic benches which overlooked what was the flower garden in the summer but a brown, muddy mess in the winter.

I just nodded, trying to catch my breath.

Another downside of waking from a coma, you lose your stamina ever so quickly.

"I know, I just wanted to talk to you before you left," I glanced up at him and saw from the way his jaw was lined under the tight mask that he was still unhappy as he stared into the distance.

Finally he turned his attention to me where, unless it was a figure of my imagination, his eyes almost imperceptibly softened.

God, I had it so bad that I was searching desperately for any sign that he may have liked me or knew me or something.

"So what did you want to talk about?" he prodded as if I was retarded.

And I suppose he had some grounds since I hadn't realised until he said that I was gaping up at him like a fool.

"Oh," I scrubbed the back of my neck nervously, "I suppose I wanted to make sure you were okay, you're fight looked like it got a bit…heated near the end of your work out."

"So you _were_ watching," he didn't sound disgusted by the creepiness, but instead sounded smug.

My cheeks flared until I thought there was no point in having white skin any longer if this shade was just going to be a constant presence on my skin.

I didn't bother to reply just waiting for him to speak.

Peeking up at him, I saw the way his was gazing thoughtfully at me.

"He was just calling me a pervert," he finally said, glancing away.

There was a range of disappointment that led to rage at my brother.

"Is that because you stayed by my side?" I blurted before I could think to censor my knowledge.

Internally cursing myself, I only allowed myself a reprieve when Takashi laughed, leaning further back against the bench.

"Just like you to do that, just blurting stuff out," he said, ruffling my hair slightly and I froze unable to move an inch, even if my life depended on it. "You were always a little crazy, although I can tell you pack a hell of a slap," glancing at me, he hurried to add, "or so I've heard."

That couldn't have been an additional coincidence; it was too specific. _Way_ too specific.

I remember when I slapped him because he had been pretending to be drunk and I had gotten pretty irate when Sakura had destroyed all my clothes but that was understandable.

"Yeah, for 'unnoble reasons'," Takashi continued, snorting as he made the air quotes, every movement of his controlled, easy, maybe even a tad lazy.

He reminded me so much of a powerful cat, one that could laze in the hot sun but still could be able to rip the shit into you at a moment's notice.

Swallowing down a slight lump in my throat, I gathered up my courage.

"A-a-are you," I stuttered, fumbling for a way to ask without sounding weird or creepy or maybe even demented, "Takashi are you-"

I was interrupted by the indistinguishable yells of my brother as he strode over to us.

I scowled as Neil came charging over, his shoulder already set into a tense line.

"You're still here?" he growled, his arms rolling up the long sleeved top that he had placed over his muscle shirt.

"Your sister here was just asking whether I was coming tomorrow and I said-"

"No, hopefully!" Neil cried as his fingers tapped an uneven rhythm on his hip from where his elbows stuck out proudly.

I stood up myself feeling weird that I was the only one remaining sitting.

However, I may or may not have been slightly optimistic as I swayed, my knees beginning to buckle.

While my own brother reached for me, Takashi was closer as he looped his arm around my waist possessively (wishful thinking?).

Neil scowled, glaring like he was going to take me away from this 'beast's' clutches had my own glower not warned him off.

"He was actually thinking of coming more often and helping with my physical therapy recovery as one of my doctor's suggested that with more confidence that some kind of stamina filled sport would help," I beamed up at Takashi, my eyes warning him to go along with my plan. "And Takashi here offered his services to train me in the art of…"

I trailed off as I forgot what he actually trained in.

"Boxing," Takashi's eyebrow rose dubiously as he stared back down at me, "although I said we would take it easy with just a little bit of weight training before we would get into that."

I felt, or thought I felt, his fingers tightening on my waist and I almost sighed at the feeling of his warmth that was battering most of the wind for me. But obviously I was focussing more on what he was saying.

Of course I was. I wasn't totally vapid… was I?

But a weight that I hadn't realised was on my heart had lifted at the sound of this (very solid sounding) promise to meet up even after the mixed martial arts season was over. That we would be all hot and sweaty in the gym.

I could dream of it then: the scorching touch as his hands would guide my shoulders but would unconsciously trail down my spine, remembering all the bumps, remembering _me_ from my dream landscape…

So caught up in my fantasies that I hadn't realised that Takashi and Neil were arguing heatedly until some meddling mother I hadn't realised was loitering by the front door piped up.

"Really now Nathaniel!" she chided from the safety of the door way, keeping her slippers dry I thought enviously as I felt the muddy puddles which I stumbled through in my haste to reach Takashi leaking in through the pathetic cotton. "Are you really that against your sister's recovery?"

I looked up at Neil victoriously.

"Yeah Neil," I goaded, my hand clasping tightly on Takashi's hip and had it not been for his own arm around my waist tensing, I would have thought that my touch hadn't affected him. "Think of your sister's recovery."

"And I don't want you doing a half-assed job at your tournament next month so you better apologise to Mr Katake for being so rude and hand him the money to come tomorrow as well to train you," our mother folded her arms and I just knew that it was basically a done deal as Neil was a total mummy's boy through and through.

He wouldn't betray ol' mummy dearest I thought with a toothy grin.

"And don't look so smug Jennifer," my mum's attention immediately turned to me, making me shrug my shoulders defensively. "I need you to come peel the carrots for Sunday dinner."

I tried to pull myself away but there was a tightening of a hand on my waist and I glanced up, a question on my lips.

Instead a shriek escaped instead as Takashi scooped me up, my arms flailing, possibly smacking him in the face before my hands managed to grab onto the fabric covered neck.

"You sure are a screamer," he murmured and my face just alighted with a renewed fervour.

The innuendo was tangible but instead I buried my face in his neck where the scent of spearmint just radiated.

I could have imagined it but the shudder that went through him, vibrated through his arms and his breath came out slightly shaky.

"So you'll be coming tomorrow?" I mumbled my face still a bright red as Takashi settled me in my chair.

"Tomorrow and then next," he promised, his eye crinkling reassuringly, his hand rubbing my head before he turned to leave.

"Thank you," I whispered, staring out of the window rather than his retreating back.

I didn't need to look at him to feel his smirk.

"I've read that particular title; the sex is good," the laughter was down the corridor before I even tried to attempt at bringing my face out of the haven of my hands.

God, he was so embarrassing!

…o0o…

FINALLY! A CHAPTER LONGER THAN 3,000 WORDS!

Sorry, I basically I've been having a mental block for the past month and a half! It's weird now that I only have one chapter along with the epilogue left, it's like my brain is so reluctant to write anything.

But anyway, I just wanted to thank all you people who bared with me, (over a 100 followers worth *squeak* not that I'm dancing around my room or anything) and all your reviews have been greatly appreciated, and I am deeply sorry for those who I haven't PMed because I started to lose track of who I did thank and who I missed.

So yeah…I'll stop now.

…Thanks again xxxxxx


	25. So Hot And Steamy

So Hot And Steamy

"**You sure are a screamer," he murmured and my face just alighted with a renewed fervour. **

**The innuendo was tangible but instead I buried my face in his neck where the scent of spearmint just radiated. **

**I could have imagined it but the shudder that went through him, vibrated through his arms and his breath came out slightly shaky. **

"**So you'll be coming tomorrow?" I mumbled my face still a bright red as Takashi settled me in my chair. **

"**Tomorrow and then next," he promised, his eye crinkling reassuringly, his hand rubbing my head before he turned to leave. **

"**Thank you," I whispered, staring out of the window rather than his retreating back. **

**I didn't need to look at him to feel his smirk. **

"**I've read that particular title; the sex is good," the laughter was down the corridor before I even tried to attempt at bringing my face out of the haven of my hands. **

**God, he was so embarrassing!**

…o0o…

"You're still hitting it wrong."

I wheezed out a breath as I stepped back from the punching back. I shot a look over my shoulder, irritable.

"Well then, _tell_ me how to do it," I huffed, twisting my wrists as the ache seemed to go all the way to my bones.

Takashi chuckled before he set himself up behind me.

"Get yourself in position," he ordered, his breath just skating over the sweat at the nape of my neck.

I shivered but still set with my body side on in front of the punching bag, ignoring the blatant tone of his voice.

There was a delicate tickle down my waist before hands grasped my hips and manoeuvred them this way and that until finally the anal trainer was satisfied.

Then I felt the way his palms traced back up to settle on my shoulders and there was another shudder that trickled down my spine as his heavy, hot hands rested partially on skin and partially on my sports top.

"You shouldn't be so tense," he murmured in my ear and I tensed even further much to my embarrassment.

The gym was almost empty but as Takashi was the owner and main trainer, we got to stay for longer than it was open. Almost alone.

"J-just tell me what to do, idiot," I wheezed out, trying to tamp down on my heartbeat that I could hear thundering in my ears.

"You should be hitting that bag with you first two knuckles," his hands smoothed down the bumps of scar tissue on my arms until he held my wrists.

I didn't breathe, didn't move.

If I did, I was sure to lose this contact.

His long, thin fingers were rearranging my fist.

"And I thought I told you, keep your thumb _out_ of your fist?" his chiding voice really flew over my head as I just focussed on the grumblings of his low voice that sent vibrations to…

Ahem, _lower_ places.

"So _tell_ me," I retorted softly, my eyes pretending to be entirely focussed on the black skin of the punching bag rather than the sound waves skating over my sensitive skin.

Swallowing, I curled my hands into fists, trying to loosen my body up to punch the bag again.

There had been this tentative back and forth between me and Takashi for the past week and a half, meeting every other day for my 'recuperation'.

Takashi breathed out a laugh before stepping away, my body already mourning the loss of his body heat in this crazy cold gym. What temperature did they keep it on anyway? Minus twenty?

I gritted my teeth as I shot my arm forward with a _smack_ feeling a jolt of pain resonate up my arm until it jolted with my shoulder.

"Shit!" I cursed, cradling my hand, trying not to move the joints.

"Jenny?" his hands, without permission, flushed a heat within me like usual that couldn't be cooled with normal techniques, gently grabbed my wrist.

Not even a cold shower much to my chagrin.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," I continued to grind my teeth together from the pain.

Takashi cursed as his black eye took in my red, swollen hand underneath all the embarrassingly sweaty bandages.

"I knew that bare knuckle boxing was too trying for you, but did I listen? No, I just _had_…" Takashi continued to mutter to himself as he pulled me and my stiff legs quickly over to his bag where he snapped a little packet that instantly began to harden and freeze.

Laying it out gently over my knuckles, he ordered me tersely to stay as he locked everything up.

I sighed as I sat down, resting my aching legs, the base of my spine feeling especially tender.

Maybe I _had_ been pushing it too far. But it wasn't like I got to spend any other time with him ever since Neil had been taking Takashi back to the gym.

I glared balefully at the boxing ring right in the centre of this basement gym. Why did it have to be there?

I glanced back down at the ice pack still laying ominously over my bruised knuckles, my fingers picking at it to lift it before it got slapped out of the way by a disappointed hand.

I cowed under the feel of his glare.

"You ready?" he asked, his hand already slinging both mine and his gym bag over his shoulder.

I nodded glumly as I followed him out of the door.

There was a definite snick as he locked up the gym before he led me over to his bike.

That was one benefit of coming to Takashi for physical training, I mused as I stuffed the helmet on over my face, squishing my cheeks.

There was a chuckle in front of me and snapped my head up in time to see the visor flick down on Takashi's helmet.

"You were laughing!" I accused, my hands grasped my hips, my eyes narrowed.

Although it shamed me to admit it, the sight of a man astride a black motorcycle was just so hot that I was trying very hard to maintain the infuriated façade. But my attraction to him was made all the more worse as his helmet hid more than his mask and kept me guessing, especially when it muffled his voice.

Wrenching his helmet off with the grace of a model, when he flicked out his hair, I thought I would faint if he did one more seductive move like that.

He swung his leg back over his bike so that he stood toe to toe with me, making me second guess his feelings.

Dammit, he had more mood swings that a girl on her period! First he was angry at me for overworking myself, now he was laughing at me?

There was just no pleasing the man!

"Just your face looks like a puffa fish," his finger bopped my nose before flicking my own visor down too.

He straddled his noble steed again.

His eye skimmed over my form, seeming to contemplate something.

I knew when he decided as he grabbed my wrist to hurry me onto the bike, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"We're heading to my place," my heart skipped a beat. "You stink, you need a shower and I can't trust you won't do something stupid without my help."

Or maybe not. Maybe my heart just went and died in my chest and I need it cremated.

"Awh, you're so mean Kakashi," I slipped, my eyes wide, I straightened, just waiting for Takashi's reaction.

Nothing.

The only warning that he was going was a quick rev of the powerful engine between my thighs.

I squealed, holding on for dear life, my fingers gripping the leather of his jacket so tightly.

It was when we were pulling up that I started to feel the dreaded numbness of my thighs leading down to my calves.

While I could walk again, there were some moments when I just…fell? Legs felt like wood? I don't know, but it was either a painful or annoying.

Actually they could be categorised in both.

But for the most part it was annoying as we pulled up in front of a block of flats and Takashi was waiting for me to swing my leg over.

I didn't move. My arms remained tightly locked around him, my fingers just creaking the leather in their death like grip.

"Jenny, you know you are going to have to let go of me, right?" his voice was amused and I felt his arms curl up before there was a click and a sigh of relief as his head was released.

"My legs…" I trailed off, embarrassed.

I felt his back soften.

"They not working again?"

I nodded.

"You need me to carry you in?"

Another nod.

There was a sigh and I ducked my head lower in embarrassment before there were hands gripping my leg and wrapped around my waist, hefting me up and over his shoulder.

My voice was muffled with my helmet over my head but I thought I got my indication of my displeasure across, especially with my fists banging against his back.

"Puff mef foun!"

"Hmmm? What was that?" Takashi asked sweetly and I used one of my fists to really whack his back. "You saying you want to continue like this or a little while longer?"

We started to climb some stairs, digging his shoulder blade further into my squishy stomach and realising my folly yanked off my helmet.

"What is it with you and males so determined to prove their masculinity? Are you so insecure?" I taunted, letting the helmet dangle between my fingers. "Are you coming out of the closet soon?"

My question wasn't only to tease him, more like I was trying to jog his memory.

I had remembered on one of our past encounters, briefly that I had made the same comment as we were walking down stairs instead of up them.

I felt his muscles tense under me and there was a trip that had me squealing in horror as I hadn't regained feeling in my legs so were all but a dead weight.

There was a snort before we continued up the steps of the flat block.

"…that was mean," I muttered burying myself in the black t-shirt that Takashi wore for our work outs.

"So is insulting a man's sexual orientation, but at least now we have both learned something," there was a chink as metal keys were brought out and inserted into various locks.

I tried to peer over my shoulder but found it exceedingly difficult with my legs being reluctant to move.

"How many freaking locks to you have?" I demanded as we finally entered his humble abode.

"Many," Takashi responded cryptically before he reoriented me with a dizzying sickness that had all the blood rushing out of my head.

"Whoa," I clamped a hand on my temple, clenching my eyes shut to stop the spinning.

"I'll get you a glass of water," I heard footsteps receding before they were approaching me again.

"This is why you should never carry a lady over your shoulder," I muttered bitterly, gulping a couple of swallows eagerly.

"Lady? Where?" he looked around desperately. "I need to make sure I get a picture of her knickers!"

I giggled in spite of myself, batting at his arm chidingly.

It was a running joke of sorts.

Another one of our tentative footsteps towards the other while giving no ground ourselves. So much pussyfooting, it was actually unreal.

There was a familiar sensation of pins and needles flooding through my legs before there was another, less than pleasant feeling of a throbbing like someone was continually punching my leg to deaden it.

"I think my legs are coming back again," I groaned in annoyance as I went through the physical therapy to try and build up the nerves again or some shit.

I bent down and unlaced my shoes, palming off the trainers as I began to flex and relax my toes with the difficulty of pushing them through five kilograms worth of treacle. I then moved to my ankles after three tedious sets.

I was trying not to be aware of Takashi who was just leaning on the sofa's back, staring at me.

"You got something to say?" I asked, not once looking away from my legs, even though I knew that they didn't need my constant attention.

That was probably the wrong thing to say as Takashi jerked before leaping off the couch in the direction of what I assumed was the kitchen.

"I'll call your brother and tell him the situation," he called through the open doorway.

"Could I also crash here?" I blurted.

However, when my words caught up with me, I flinched my cheeks flooding with the blood that seemed a common occurrence nowadays.

The tousled grey hair flopped around the doorway with an arching eyebrow.

"It-it's just that my little cousins are around and I," I tried to finish but instead I just averted my eyes instead to my knee exercises. "You know what? Just forget I said-"

"Sure."

My head snapped up, my eyes widening hopefully.

"What?" I cleared my throat to try and remove the hoarseness. "I mean, um, I can stay?"

"Sure," Takashi repeated as he retreated around into the kitchen again, "I can make up the sofa bed and you can have my bed."

"Oh no," I tried to interrupt hurriedly, "I don't want to intrude too badly-"

The droopy eye was around the door jamb again.

"Jenny."

I shut my mouth, cowed.

"Yeah, I know," I muttered beginning to spread my legs before closing them again, working on my thighs, "you don't need to tell me, I'm being stupid."

There was a pause and I glanced up in time to see the retreating red face.

I cocked my head to the side. What just happened?

Feeling confident enough that my legs would support me, I tentatively pushed myself up to follow where Takashi had gone.

I found him sitting at an island, a hand held hesitantly in his hand, his thumb seeming to pause over various numbers before prodding them in reluctantly.

I chuckled, leaning against the doorjamb, my hip cocked out arrogantly as I smirked.

Takashi didn't even bother acknowledging me, just this thumb seemed to move surer and even punched the green call button, almost like he was saying 'yeah, suck that!'

I giggled at his immaturity and even gave a mock pout when he didn't find the energy to turn around to acknowledge me.

Anyone could have heard when Neil picked up because it was a shout and it was immediately.

"WHERE IN THE HELL IS JENNY? YOU SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT HER HOME HALF AN HOUR AGO!" Neil ranted, "I HAVE BEEN CALLING HER PHONE BUT SHE ISN'T ANSWERING! IS SHE IN HOSPITAL? HAVE YOU TIED HER TO YOUR BED AND YOU HAVING YOUR WICKED WAY WITH HER? YOU SICK PERVERT! I CAN'T BELIEVE I TRUSTED YOU WITH HER-"

Finally losing patience, I snatched the phone out of Takashi's hand, bored, talking into the phone over Neil's tantrum.

"I'm fine, I haven't died, Takashi offered me a shower at his place and a movie marathon." I picked at my nails while I felt Takashi's glower trying to tear my face off, "I'm staying at his, so I'll see you tomorrow to feed the brats."

Just as I was ending the call I heard the cursing and the yell of "TRAITOR!" before it ended with a bleep.

My eyes glanced round until they found the cradle which I just let it click into place.

Peering over my shoulder, I saw Takashi's mask hanging low on his neck. My breath caught.

God, no woman could ever get used to a sight like that, so rugged, so manly, so…just SO.

Clearing my throat, I awkwardly moved to the doorway.

"Could I have a towel please? I'm going to take that shower you told me I so _desperately_ need," I called over my shoulder while heading to my gym bag that seemed to have all in essentials.

If I wanted, I could have called it my zombie survival pack barring the inclusion of random weapons.

I just managed to pack almost everything from pyjamas to two sets of outfits and even a pair of shoes.

Rummaging right to the bottle, I gave a small grin when I found my weapon of choice.

Hearing footsteps nearing me, I smoothed my face over into one of blandness.

Step one on getting Takashi to admit it was going to come into action.

Flicking my braid over my shoulder, I faced the too handsome man with a brave face. Or as brave as I could manage without looking constipated. It was a very fine line.

I accepted the threadbare towel with a gentle hand that I had made sure to brush against his own that looked ready to bolt.

Giving him an easy grin I headed to the bathroom where I spotted the toilet through the open doorway.

"Don't worry Takashi, I don't bite," I called over my shoulder.

Turning to close the door, I noticed something odd.

"Um, where is the lock?" I opened and closed the door as if that would magically let the mechanism finally appear.

"Ex-girlfriend broke it," he commented mildly as he picked up a book from the coffee table, slouching into the couch.

I waited.

Then waited some more.

Finally, Takashi's eyes glanced up at me curiously.

"Wh-why would she break it?" I asked, my finger nail just chipping off some of the cheap paint.

He shrugged his shoulders, his eyes just focussing on the lines in his book again.

"Who knows," he snorted, flipping a page.

I huffed out a breath before closing the door, a little more harshly than it deserved but still I began to strip out of my clothes, placing my shampoo bottles on the floor while I undid my braid and various articles of clothing.

I smirked to myself in the mirror, if this scent didn't catch him out, then nothing ever would.

However, I couldn't help but turn down the corners of my mouth in displeasure at the sight of the cramped bathroom. It literally was a closet with a little cubby carved out for the shower.

I snorted as I clambered into the tight cubicle, my keen eyes already spying the green bottle which I knew was loaded up with tea tree smelling shower gel.

I switched the shower on to full blast, already anticipating the slightly more powerful dribble. Honestly, it was worse than a hostel shower!

Shaking my head, I began to wet and lather my hair with the mango scented shampoo.

Like a past failure of mine, I found it difficult to tell what would be too much sensory overload and what wouldn't be.

However, disaster stuck when I felt my legs beginning to numb again.

Eye popping out of my skull, I dashed out of the cubicle, clashing my elbow against the wall harshly and with a _bang_.

Then worse came to worse when I felt my legs just stop working and I tripped on the lip of the shower bottom, clashing my knees harshly on the floor.

I cried out.

There were immediate knocks at the door.

"Jenny?" Takashi's voice called through the door.

I gritted my teeth as I glanced back at my now useless legs. So caught up in my annoyance, I hadn't realised how truly worried he was and was unprepared for the moment when he came charging through the door, stopping as soon as he saw my naked body sprawled out on the floor.

Then his bare nose twitched when he caught the scent and his eye widened further.

"…the bloody mangoes," he cursed, coming further into the room, grabbing the towel on the floor cover over my back despite it only being my bottom that was on show.

"Takashi," I whined pitifully, looking up at him hopefully.

His mouth turned down.

"Hell no!"

I pouted, pushing myself to my elbows, conscious of keeping my decency.

Takashi wavered before steeling himself annoyingly again.

"Your brother would kill me if he knew that I had touched you while you were naked," he growled, his hands on his hips.

My pout increased.

"What Neil doesn't know won't hurt him," I tempted him.

"When we get together-" his lips clamped shut.

But the damage was done. My ears perked.

"Oh? What was that?" my mouth had formed into a grin as my elbows propped me up further, now not caring whether I was hiding anything. "I think you remember a hell of a lot more than you are telling me, _Kakashi_."

His eyes widened just in time for me to feel my legs begin the sensation of pins and needles.

Deciding to press my advantage, I shakily brought myself to my feet and what you can't fault Kakashi on is chivalry.

For just as my noodle like legs were going to give way, a strong arm clamped around my waist, pressing my naked body up like a seam with Takashi's thinly clothed one.

Shooting up a smirk, I barely thought of my actions as my hand came to cup the back of his neck, hauling him down to me.

There was a surprised gasp that let my tongue delve into the depths that could possibly be my Kakashi deep down.

Takashi tried to wrench his face away from mine but with that strength he needed to have something to push against and what he didn't account for, was for it to be spongy.

His fingers tensed around the flesh of my breast, his brain unsure on how to make up the situation. Did he leave it there? Should he start to caress it?

I didn't really give him the time to contemplate his actions as my toes weakly attempted to support me as I pushed myself up and licked my way into his mouth again.

Takashi grunted, his hand tightening as if to push me away before his entire body relaxed, giving up as his hands moved certainly to my derriere, hoisting me up his body as he turned into the living room.

I gasped as his mouth seemed to devour me, both familiar yet foreign.

It was Kakashi, yet it was…not.

"A-are you Kakashi?" I moaned as his mouth enclosed over a nipple.

I shivered, my fingers clenched into the mane of his hair.

There was a pop as he released it, sparing me a heated glance that sped the bush fire down lower in my body.

"I am," he looked tousled and I could think of a variety of different things that would be preferable right then.

"What did I do when I first met you then?" I challenged, shoving myself up so the upper part of my back was resting on the arm rest.

"You threw up and I had to carry you to the hospital," there was no hesitation, no hint of a lie.

Beaming, I went to attack his lips before a finger paused me. I frowned, my eyes going cross eyed, trying to distinguish why it was there.

"When was the first time we kissed?" he demanded while one hand unconsciously began caressing my stomach distracting me enough that I forgot he had asked a question before I was reminded with a quick lick up my throat.

"The festival," I gasped, one hand holding him to my neck, revelling in the feel of his breath that was skating over the wet line his tongue constantly drew, "I was getting changed then you-"

Takashi ripped his head from my hands claiming my lips again.

"We should stop talking," he ordered briefly before his mouth was attacking my swollen one with a new vigour, determined to win the battle.

That may be so, but he would not win the war.

Then it was like I had an out of body experience as my head was thrown back in exaltation.

_The bodies intertwined on the couch, letting the springs squeak noisily as they continued to writhe._

_While there was a part of her that was just flooding with a desperate need that almost had screams erupting from her throat, was her determination to make him feel as good as she did that made her cup Takashi so boldly. _

_He jerked with a groan, his mouth ripping away from her own, instead choosing to nuzzle and lick her neck with an odd coupling that had her back arching, her hips needy in their anguish to get him to enter her. _

_Patience, patience, she chanted to herself however, she found her will power wavering especially when she felt his hand on her breast, tweaking at one of her nipples. _

I moaned, my free hand just clawing at his head to keep him there, trying to push him further down.

However, when my hand caught on the neck of his t-shirt, I was reminded with a shudder that he was still dressed and-

_What was that he just did with his tongue?_

My eyes clenched shut as my opening throbbed with arousal.

I glanced down but immediately wish I hadn't when I saw the unadulterated pleasure Takashi got just by grinding into my hand and sucking on my breast.

Gulping, my hand at his nape, desperate to touch more skin, started to his waist where I shoved the black material up and over his chiselled abs.

My legs, while they were still spasming from the past deaden moment, they continued to woodenly clamp Takashi's hips to mine, ensuring that he would stay connected in case he would try and back out sharpish.

Arching up, Takashi furiously yanked off his shirt, barely letting me appreciate the _god like_ body before he was pressing bare skin against naked skin, dry pressed on wet. There was a moment where I tried to tamp down on my harsh breaths before Takashi was smirking over me, his lips barely brushing mine as he teasingly pushed himself through the circle of my hand.

"Taka…" I cut off with a whimper as he yanked my hand away from his, instead digging into his pocket and was rolling the rubber over him before I could even act surprised.

"When did you…?" my eyes rolled as my entrance was teased by a thick presence and my thighs tightened in anticipation.

My lip was throbbing both from the abuse of my teeth and Takashi's violent kisses, but it was pleasant torture that I would endure again and again if that meant that I kept this delicious human above me, under me or whatever.

"I guess with you, I just had to be expectant," he groaned into my ear as he sheathed himself, making my little toes twitch, my calves pressing themselves tighter against the skin of his hips.

I scoffed before it was cut off with a cry of pleasure, my eyes shutting tightly as my hips snapped against his expectant with his thrusts. Inside I felt myself coiling, my entire body just a frozen yet energetic as I matched Takashi breath for breath, kiss for kiss.

My mouth opened in a silent scream as I felt my orgasm overcame me.

It was only when I was relaxing back down I moaned.

My nails clawed at Takashi's back as I felt my inner self clench before there was the relaxing sensation, a leaking of energy while Takashi continued to milk himself in me, his puffs of breath just skating over my slick skin of my neck.

His muscles tensed under my hands before he gave a muffled roar into the side of my neck as I felt a pulse come from him.

"You…" he didn't even bother to finish as he rolled to the side so his weight wouldn't crush me.

I flung an arm over my face as a giggle escaped me.

The heat next to me shifted before I felt a furry head of hair nuzzle onto my shoulder, an arm draped over my stomach.

"I can't believe it," I muttered, a small smile still encompassing over my face and I could feel the smugness radiating out from him, his finger just tracing teasing trails around my belly button.

I twitched.

"At least you didn't wake up this time," he said blandly, a satisfied sigh escaping him.

Humming, I rolled to my side, trying to get closer to his warmth.

Possibly having randy sex on the couch wasn't the best thing we could have done, especially after having a shower. The shivers that now racked up my body weren't that from pleasure but now from the coldness of both water droplets and sweat which had mingled on the top layer of my skin.

Feeling it, Takashi climbed over my prone body, ignoring my mumbled protests to leave me, hooking his hands under my knees and shoulders, letting his physical prowess dominate me.

"Men," I scoffed under my breath before I was settled in a pile of spongy duvet.

I hummed my appreciation, letting myself coil around it like a teddy bear before I heard a huff of annoyance. Nuzzling further into the comforter, my eyes drooped shut and I felt like I was on the verge of sleep.

Takashi's worn hands helped my torso sit up as he slid what was presumably his shirt over my body.

I had made this assumption because, while I was too lazy to open my eyes, I knew from the way the shirt dwarfed my shoulders, that it was not one of mine nor one of Neil's.

"You should sleep," Takashi's soothing voice whispered in my ear as he settled me among the covers, a hand what felt to be pressing into the mattress by my head from the indent.

Just as he pushed off and away, my hand whipped out and grabbed him.

"Should, but not gonna," I mumbled petulantly as I opened my eyes to see his face impossibly close to mine.

I smirked.

"In fact, I can think of better use with your bed," I leaned back again, pulling a numb Takashi with me. "But I need a partner in crime."

"A knicker entrepreneur?" his smoky voice shot something straight to my core.

I beamed.

"I'm sure you won't be too offended if I evaluate you skills?" I murmured, my fingers now knotting in his silvery mane, drawing him ever closer. "I need to start the interviewing process anyway."

"Not at all," he purred, his hips locking with mine, only the duvet now lay between us, "in fact I encourage you to evaluate to your heart's content."

Wide awake, my lips arched up the remaining distance eagerly.

"I think I shall test your practical, marketable skills first and foremost," I panted as I felt him grind into me.

"Your wish is my command, but don't complain when you won't be able to keep up."

I opened my mouth to protest but for the rest of the night (and for the rest of a long while) it didn't make any other noises than the moans and whimpers.

And of course, that damn pervert's name.

…o0o…

Hi! This is the penultimate chapter!

So this may be very assuming of me, but I was just hoping to ask you guys a favour.

I was hoping for some feedback?

Like if you start thinking of it now before the end so things like:

What was your favourite part?

Least favourite? Why was it your least favourite?

My OC Jenny, overall thoughts?

Did I keep with characterisation of certain characters?

Anything (or even everything) I could have done better? Things I need to remember for the future?

Overall, how would you rate this?

**This would be grand! If you answer any one of these questions I would be eternally grateful as I am planning on doing other multi chapter ffs in the future and I would rather not be making the same mistakes and getting the same criticism. **

**Love to all :3**


	26. Just Another Cliche Ending

Just Another Cliché Ending

"**In fact, I can think of better use with your bed," I leaned back again, pulling a numb Takashi with me. "But I need a partner in crime."**

"**A knicker entrepreneur?" his smoky voice shot something straight to my core. **

**I beamed. **

"**I'm sure you won't be too offended if I evaluate you skills?" I murmured, my fingers now knotting in his silvery mane, drawing him ever closer. "I need to start the interviewing process anyway."**

"**Not at all," he purred, his hips locking with mine, only the duvet now lay between us, "in fact I encourage you to evaluate to your heart's content."**

**Wide awake, my lips arched up the remaining distance eagerly. **

"**I think I shall test your practical, marketable skills first and foremost," I panted as I felt him grind into me. **

"**Your wish is my command, but don't complain when you won't be able to keep up."**

**I opened my mouth to protest but for the rest of the night (and for the rest of a long while) it didn't make any other noises than the moans and whimpers. **

**And of course, that damn pervert's name.**

...o0o…

**[WARNING: ATTEMPT AT PRESENT TENSE]**

"NOW LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" roars the commentator, "THE DAY HAS ARRIVED WHICH NO ONE WOULD HAVE BELIEVED…THE BLIND BANDIT HAS RETURNED AFTER A DECADE OF RETIREMENT, THRISTING FOR MORE!"

The screams and yells are tangible as I watch my boyfriend climb onto the stage, a bandaged wrapped fist lolling into the air, greeting everyone as he walks on by.

I feel my face flush as his eye catches mine.

Both of his eyes are open, just the other is tinged with a slight red of his remedial cataract, his scar clearly bisecting his right eye.

In reply, my wolf whistle joins those surrounding me in the crowd.

"THIS WILL BE JUICY FOLKS AS WE WATCH THE SEVEN YEAR CHAMPION, BANDIT, SCRABBLE FOR THE NATIONAL TITLE AGAINST THE FOUR YEAR WINNER, SNAKE!"

This time, I can hear the boos as well as the cheers as a pale white man mounts onto the stage, shutting the cage door behind him.

He is so skinny! Surely, he can't be participating in the heavy weight, right?

I glance to my brother who is too busy chatting up one of the card holding chicks that parade around the circuit.

Sighing, I turn my attention back to Takashi who I can see limbering up, eyeing up his competition.

I bring my sleeves down to my wrists, my anxiety for this match to go well, overwhelming me.

My breaths are mere pants as I watch the referee ding the bell.

And just like that, all hell breaks loose.

The crowd surges forward, almost crushing me into the cage had my brother, (bless him), not caught me, shoving the other rabid maniac people back.

But that wasn't what I focus on as I stare, horrified, at the match in front of me.

All of Takashi's previous matches in the tournament before, ends after five minutes, my pervert victorious.

However, watching Takashi now, getting pummelled made my hands grip the links desperately until a bouncer demands me further back.

I acquiesce but my eyes continue to dread the next hit I see Takashi stomach, my teeth chowing down on a meal of lip and tongue with a side of blood.

The bell rings and I am unsure of what has just occurred.

The referee holds Takashi's arm up.

I frown.

"Didn't Takashi get hit more?" I turn to my brother, having to yell in his ear to compensate for the roar surrounding us.

"Nah!" Neil grins, his arm now around the bimbo next to him.

I refrain from rolling my eyes.

"So how did he win that round?" confusion is threatening to come out and after the sheer amount of matches I have watched him train or participate in, you would have thought someone with a _brain_ would have picked it up.

But I haven't so…

"It's hits that are placed differently," Neil explains, his eyes now curiously intent on the setting up on the match again, both opponents on opposite sides again. "And with what combos. Sure, Snake is hitting hard and fast in Takashi's ribs, but they are barely points."

The bell rings again and I wrench my gaze back to the flurry of limbs.

"Whereas Takashi," he shouts, "has been using level five combos, placing hits on extremities such as legs and head, harder targets awarding him more points."

The screams as Takashi pivots on the ball of one foot demands my attention as I screech along with the crowd.

Seeing it clobber into Snake's jaw, spurting out a drip of blood has me grinning in perverse pleasure.

Man, I think I'm developing a complex.

The bell went again.

My heart waits impatiently, watching, waiting until Takashi's arm finally rises in acknowledgement of his win.

Hooting, I catch the way his eye winks at me and I flush predictably; I seem to be doing that a lot lately.

Chanting begins all around me and I can't help but sweep along with the rest of them.

But it is the final round and I have to concentrate, even if I don't understand what is happening.

This time, I see the way Snake's movements are getting more vicious, the way the corner of his mouth turns down into a snarl as he continues to fight Takashi back into the cage wall. I gasp as I spot the way that Snake digs his fist particularly harshly into his gut before raising his knee harshly catching Takashi in the face.

This time the boos are unanimous as the crowd hate on Snake but the bell rings and even I know that there are only three round.

Takashi has won two so that means…

I scream along with my brother, hopping up and down, my elation tangible as I just watch my pervert hold up his hand uncomfortable with the surrounding cheers.

The cage releases and the fighters are pulled to their separate changing rooms which I think with the scowl on Snake's face, is probably a good idea.

Everyone, after witnessing the match was over; begin to congregate towards the various doors, out into the cool spring evening.

Instead of following the crowd, my feet unconsciously weave and direct me towards the shower room in which Takashi occupies.

A small grin occupies my face as I peek around the doorway.

There is a hiss as water smacks into the cheap tiles of the generic shower wet room.

Closing the door quietly behind me, I creep forwards, peering around the various tiled walls into the separate shower 'cubicles' until I finally reach the last one.

There Takashi stands, his bare arse facing me as his hands continue to scrub furiously at his hair, soapy suds just trickling provocatively down his spine, ensuring a pleasant coverage for inner perverts such as myself.

"You did a good job today," I say, my hands already picking my t-shirt up and over my torso, hanging it on one of the hooks beside Takashi's clothes

He didn't jump and I didn't expect him to; he honestly knew when I came in.

"This is the men's changing rooms," he replies blandly, turning his naked face towards me, letting my eyes feast on the scars mish-mashing together.

My fingers never stop moving as they unbutton and unzip, shimmying to the floor.

Careful of keeping it off the wet floor, I use the wall for support while I just grin at him.

"Maybe there is something that you just haven't seen before," I tease before hanging the last of my outer garments on the hooks, leaving me only in my bra and knickers.

A matching pair of maroon and black striped cotton.

I smirk.

What one thing I haven't realised in both my interactions with him in real life and in my coma was that Takashi liked the simpler things, sure he read smutty novels constantly with heroines who wear lacy things…

But I didn't know that he has a thing for cotton.

Like a _major _thing.

My bracelets jangle together as I reach back and unclip my bra.

Takashi has given up any sign of showering, instead, proudly facing me, his sinewed arms folded across his chest, an eyebrow arched.

Hanging the bra on the last remaining hook, my thumb picks at my elastic.

"Oh, I think I have seen everything," his husky voice has my face blushing but not from the constant embarrassment that I seem to suffer around him only.

No, this time, it was the _come hither_ look.

Gulping, I quickly manoeuvre out of my knickers and into Takashi's waiting arms.

"Careful now, we don't want you getting cocky," I reach up and hold the cut on his cheek, aware of the cursive cut high on his cheek bone.

I glance down and spy his ribs just coloured red and purpling before my very eyes.

Tsking, I look up to see his mouth pressing down on mine.

The resulting gasp meant that Takashi had easier access to my mouth which he takes advantage of as his hands flatten me to his chest, his hands possibly indecent in their position on my derriere.

I can barely keep up as his tongue sweeps in, dominating me, his grunts intoxicating as he pushes me harshly into the wall. His hand distractedly pulls the sheet across the rails while the other supports himself on the tiles behind me.

My hands tangle in his hair, wrenching him closer, demanding his presence to never leave me.

"Someone is impatient," he teases and I just vigorously nod, my lust filled brain complaining why he has left my side.

But when I see him just bending down to grab my thighs, a brief sigh of relief over comes me as my arms loop over his shoulders.

My breasts jiggle as I am hoist up into his arms, the feeling of his muscles almost too much to take.

"'Fraid this this just going to be a quickie," he grinds into me, sheathing himself tightly, jarring against my clit. "Anyone could come in here at any time."

I gasp but let my nails claw into the skin of his neck.

My legs twine tightly to his hips, meaning there was less room to manoeuvre but the growls in my ear had me satisfied to let out the whimpers that were starting at the base of my throat and were escalating as I felt the flush of heat roar through my synapses.

Just the feel of his skin, slick with soap and water that was sliding and rattling against my face has my senses on overload.

Gasping, my hips try to move on him but with the pressure of his own pinning me to the wall, our movement is restricted.

"Takashi, I can't," I gasp, my face burying into his neck while the base of my spine was continuing to ache from the pressure of the tiles on my spine.

"Shhh," he bites down on the chord of my neck. "People are still around."

I whimper again, my nails digging further into his skin.

My shaky breaths was the only alert along with the clenching of my opening that we have before I arch my neck to cry out. Seeing the signs beforehand, Takashi delves his tongue into my mouth swallowing my cries eagerly, his hips pumping even faster and I dig my heels in desperately, feeling him grinding against my clit, almost making me cry out again.

Growling, he buries himself to the hilt as he gives a final grunt, splashing inside of me.

There is a moment of silence. The only thing interrupting it is the rattling of water, pelting against the tiles and our harsh pants.

"Well," I clear my throat with a giggle, "I just wanted to say that."

Takashi gives a chuckle, his fingers tightening into my bruised skin.

"You are always so eloquent with your words," he breathes out a chuckle as his face digs into my own slender column. "So very eloquent."

"Well, I do try."

I try to lower my legs but find a very persistent Takashi refusing to let me move.

"Are you going to let me go?" I ask, shifting again, but much to my surprise, I found another piece of him becoming a little _harder_ to reason with.

"Never," his arms roll as he shifts me higher on his body, "I hope you are ready."

"Always," I puff, resting my head back again as I let the feelings of pleasure overwhelm me again.

…o0o…

There was a room, a man and a woman.

Grey met brown on a pillow that they shared, albeit reluctantly. The woman's soft snores pushes into said pillow as the grey man sits up and stares at the brunette that lies there, a hand lightly caressing the bareness of a shoulder.

He whispers her name multiple times, just to ensure that she is asleep before he leans down, kissing her skin, his voice incredibly low, just in case that she should wake up.

"I-I like you, a lot," he goes to sit up again before the body violent rolls over, tackling him to the bed.

Shocked, the man stares wide eyed at the mischievous grin of his partner.

"Takashi, you don't have to do all that beating around the bush thing," her leg tangles with the bedsheet in her need to get it astride him. "You can just say it again when I am awake."

The man looks to the side, refusing to let her call him out on his blush. She always brought out the worst in him.

"Say what?" he responds petulantly, taking note of the time on their digital clock.

Four minutes past midnight.

"Well for starters, you could just tell me that you love me like a normal person," her smirk, despite the darkness, beams out that the man almost feels his breath catch.

_Almost_.

"And I think I like you too," her breath whispers across his, gently clashing in the narrowing air between them.

He growls, alternating their positions suddenly.

The woman squeals, although the grin doesn't lessen.

"What do you mean 'think'?" he grunts, his fingers already creeping up to her chest.

Giggling, her lower half shifts against him, causing a grumble to begin deep within his chest.

"If you weren't so half-assed, maybe I wouldn't be either," her hips shift up again, this time against a noticeable bulge that was pressing hotly to her thigh.

He sighs, knowing that he would never win against her, just deciding to roll with it rather than oppose her force of nature.

It was just easier for everyone involved, he thinks morosely as his nose skates along the mango scented skin of her neck.

He feels her shiver and his tongue peeks out, expectant.

"And by the way," her shaky voice whispers to the male above her, "I know this is late and all but…"

The man pulls away and stares down at the woman who now looks slightly awkward.

"I love you," he blurts before he can think a better of it.

There was an awkward moment of silence and the man clears his throat.

"Well, that's all I wanted to say but I think I'm going to go open the gym-" he goes to get up from the bed, but was held down by a pair of feminine arms.

Peeking down nervously, Takashi spies Jenny's teeth as she beams at him.

"I love you too," she breathes before her lips come to press against his, "happy New Year."

…o0o…

So that's the end. There's that gaping hole.

By the way, I just made up a sport, a mixture of boxing, mixed martial arts and I don't know what I used for the point system.

And just to say, since my exams will be taking priority, I wouldn't be going back over this, correcting all the hideous mistakes until 16th June :3

And add any scenes (possibly, if I agree with them) that you guys felt were missed out in any of the chapters.

Anyways, also after the exams I have a collab fic Sasukexoc with Miko Hayashi and I plan to also do another Kakashixoc fic, summary of which is on my profile.

So, yeah, thanks for all the reviews and favourites and followers and whatnot, just saying that it always brightens my day when I find more people favouriting and following (and best of all) reviewing.

And like I said, please review this one time and I'll never bother you again

LAST SHOUT OUT TO THE REVIEWERS

GUEST  
**BUNNYGUEST  
**SILENTTELEPATH  
**ANNZZY  
**FENRISNIN  
**TARANI BOSATSU  
**MIKO HAYASHI  
**MAKOBLUE93  
**FLAMESTANG  
**AYAVALKYRIE  
**0MOONANDSUN0  
**PSYCHOSAM  
**SNOWKI  
**MESIP**  
LOPE  
**MADAME RODOSHE  
**TOXIC CLICK  
**OTAKUWHOVIAN1224  
**SHADOWOFTHEBLACKDEAT  
**PFCDONTKNOW  
**JUSTKILLINGTIME216  
**HANA  
**MINNIEMOUSEMOM  
**SAPPHYREMYST**

And this includes anyone I've missed, just review if you want me to pm you to personally thank you!

Annnnnndddddd…

If it wouldn't be too much trouble:

What was your favourite part of the whole fanfic? And why?

Least favourite? Why was it your least favourite?

My OC Jenny, overall thoughts?

Did I keep with characterisation of certain characters?

Anything (or even everything) I could have done better? Things I need to remember for the future?

Did you have any disappointments revolving around plot line?

The end? Disappointing?

Overall, how would you rate this (out of ten)?

**Thanks a bunch! Bye! **

**~JustThatKindOfSpecial**

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**


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